Daniel N. Lee

Have you ever wondered what Jesus may have written when he stooped down and wrote on the ground in John 8? This is one of the most intense scenes we see of Jesus’ ministry. Tensions are high. His answer to the Pharisees question will bring him certain doom, either from the Jews or the Romans. He’s in a no-win situation. All eyes are on him. The very life of this woman hangs in the balance. And what does he do? He seemingly ignores everyone. The suspense of the moment is tight; everyone’s waiting and watching, yet he stoops down and draws in the dirt. Twice! What was he writing?

One possibility may be found in Jeremiah 17:13,
“LORD, the hope of Israel,
all who abandon You
will be put to shame.
All who turn away from Me
will be written in the dirt,
for they have abandoned
the fountain of living water, the LORD.”

Think about the situation. The Pharisees and scribes, the religious leaders of the day, the ones who are supposedly the upright and models of godliness, are bringing to Jesus this woman who is looked down upon. She’s not the kind of girl to bring home to meet the parents. She’s a one-night-stand type. We can think of our own cultural descriptions for this woman. The Pharisees and this woman are on completely opposite ends of the spectrum.

Jesus’ response to this question, “Should we follow the Law and stone this woman?” carries a vast array of implications, not just about the Law but about politics, mercy, righteousness, prejudice. The entire system of Judaism is hanging by the thread. After writing on the ground, Jesus gives his famous response, “The one who is without sin should be the first to throw a stone at her.” Then he continues writing on the ground.

Could he have been writing the names of these accusers in the dust? Could Jesus have been making the statement that these men who are perceived as following the will of God are actually the ones abandoning and rebelling against God? Could Jesus have been making the statement that this woman caught in the act of adultery is closer to the kingdom than her accusers?

So where is your name written? Is it written in the dust, only to be blown away, wiped over, and forgotten? Or is it written in the Book of Life to be remembered and honored forever?

On campus this weekend at Harding was Hal Runkle, author of the book Scream Free Parenting. He spoke in chapel Friday morning and then held a seminar Friday night and this morning. His take on parenting seems to be quite different than much that I have heard. I would highly recommend his book and the other resources offered by his company, Scream Free Living.

Check them out at www.screamfree.com

After hearing this speech by Ron Paul, I think he is the type of leadership our country desperately needs in Washington. (Thanks to my friend Jon for pointing out this video for me)

The two lines that I found particularly convicting were:
“What if we wake up one morning and realize that the terrorist threat is a predictable effect of our meddling in the affairs of others..?”

“What if Christianity actually teaches peace…?”

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On a different note, we found out some exciting news tonight. Katelyn is going to have the chance this summer to get her Field Experience for psychology at the Child Haven children’s home in Alabama. God has been working to get us to Alabama. This is the answer to many prayers. Please keep praying for us that this summer may be a chance for us to grow and to have an impact on others.

As I’ve been reading through the Old Testament this semester, I have read through some very sad, depressing stories about people who begin to rely on themselves instead of God. For instance – the fall of man, the tower flood story, the tower of Babel, the death of Moses, the inability of the Israelites to drive out the Canaanites, the stories found in Judges or Abimilech, Samson, and the Levite in Benjamin. I could go on. But the saddest, most pathetic, most pitiable characters I have encountered so far is King Saul.

When we start out, he is anointed by Samuel as the king for whom Israel had been praying. But as the story progresses, we see “the Lord’s anointed” fall into a moral tailspin. He begins to rely completely on himself and turns his back on God. He begins by disobeying God and blaming others for his mistakes. Then he flat out rejects God to the point that God regretted he ever made Saul to be king. What starts out as a little rebellion quickly escalates into full scale manic depression. His best friend is his spear which is always by his side even when he sleeps. His whole life is consumed with a burning desire for vengeance against David, who did nothing to Saul in the first place. This heartbreaking story ends in the loss of his sons in a hopeless battle, the loss of his throne, and the loss of all hope when Saul commits suicide.

But the story of Saul doesn’t end there. After David becomes king, he honors his oath he made to Jonathan, Saul’s son, and honors the last remaining relative of Saul – his grandson Mephibosheth. One of the most heartbreaking stories in the Bible ends in one of the most touching stories of redemption.