bible inspirational
There are so many places in the bible that are inspirational, so many places where it teaches us right from wrong, but I think that it is in the New Testament where Jesus truly demonstrates compassion and mercy and diplomacy. He often spoke in a way that made people want to examine themselves and to reflect on their own choices in the lives they lived.
In the story of the adulteress, the scribes and the Pharisees bring the woman before Jesus because they are testing him to see if he’ll follow the law of Moses and agree with them that they should stone her for her adultery.
They want him to explain away the 7th commandment (”Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery”) by encouraging them to break the 6th commandment (”Thou Shalt Not Kill”).
Knowing what they were trying to do, how they were trying to trap him between the commandments and Mosaic Law, and testing his knowledge as a teacher, Jesus replied:
“He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” — John 8:7
Surprising everyone with an answer that they did not expect, making everyone look into their own “sinful” behavior, and exposing them for the hypocrites that they were, Jesus was also telling them to be careful of judging others. In this case, judging in the extreme to cause the death of another person.
There was nothing more they could do or say in the face of such a simple yet profound statement and they all filed out slowly, leaving the woman behind.
Jesus then stood up and asked the woman, “Where are they? Did no man condemn thee?’
She replied, “No man, Lord.”
And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn thee: go thy way; from henceforth, sin no more.” – John 8:11
Jesus did not come as an earthly judge. He did not come to condemn, but to save. In this inspirational bible story Jesus was able to deal with the malice and impurity of others with delicacy and dignity, thereby demonstrating the divine wisdom he was born with.