Its Christmas

It’s Christmas. One of the parts about Christmas that is inspiring to me is that people seem to be a bit more generous. Food banks are more fully stocked, shelters have people serving food, and families receive gifts from others who can supply them. It’s consistently the one time of year that people are more apt to spread tidings of comfort and joy. It reminds me of why we celebrate. Over 2,000 years ago, as a way to honor his arrival on earth, a group of foreign kings brought a sweet baby gifts. His name was Jesus.

Most would not argue that Jesus was born, grew up to become a carpenter, and then died in his 30s an excruciating death. What is argued, is if this man was God. Although this is the pivotal point in whether or not one would identify as a Christian, I love that no matter our belief, Jesus did some pretty sweet stuff during his life on this earth in meeting the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of others. Here’s one of my favorite stories.

Jesus went to the Mount of Olives, a mountain ridge in east Jerusalem. While in the temple courts teaching, a group of religious men walked in with a woman who they caught having sex with someone who was not her husband. The man they did not bring in. The religious men stood her up in front of Jesus and all others present so that she could be cast away and stoned.

Jesus, seeing the pain on her face, bent down to the ground and wrote in the dirt with his finger. It is unknown what it is that he wrote. One theory: maybe he wrote the sins of those standing there: murder, gossip, greed, pride. Then he said to them, any one of you who has never done something you regret, never missed the mark, or never made a mistake that you wish you could take back, you stay. Stay and throw the first stone. He began writing on the ground again. Rage, lying, jealousy.

One at a time, the oldest first and the youngest next, walked away. Until Jesus and the woman stood side by side.

Jesus asked her, “Has no one condemned you?”
“No one, sir”
“Then neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin.”

When others had reason by law to chastise this woman, Jesus offered grace and provision. "Go", be free, but make some changes so that you will live life abundantly. One where your joy will increase and where you will be who you were created to be, God's daughter, whom he picked since the beginning of time.