"If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." — John 8:7
I come back to this passage, because I think we should understand that all of us face a choice: are we going to get our needs met in God, or in something else — something like a second chocolate bar, or a promotion at work, or a few drinks at the bar, or church appointment, or an extramarital fling.
I don’t know exactly why some people are wired to be susceptible to one temptation, while others are susceptible to other temptations. But I do know this: Those who sin are looking for some kind of solution.
A while back, someone reluctantly admitted to me that he was entangled in an affair. After telling me, he cringed and said, "What do you think of me now?"
I simply said, "I think you’re a guy looking for a solution, just like all the rest of us."
I say this not to minimize or excuse adultery. It is a terrible sin, disrupting lives and destroying marriages. But I say it so we can understand those who get caught in this trap.
Inside, in most cases, they are in pain, and they are looking frantically for a solution.
When we begin to understand what we all have in common, then we can find a compassion that preserves respect for those who have stumbled. Yes, they have fallen, and so have we. We are all in this together. We all need the gracious hand of God.
And He is here, ready to restore.
Be encouraged!
Dwight
Dwight Clough is the author of four Christian books and is an active member of Lake City Church in Madison. This devotional is also available via email and you may review the archives back to 2002. To contact Dwight or Kim, use their contact form. You may also support their ministry.