THE WORLD wants love. We are designed to want it—but there’s only one place to find it.
We all have legitimate desires to succeed—but we fail when we try meeting our needs the wrong way.
And our greatest failure occurs when we look for love in the wrong places—we ruin lives and relationships.
The Narrative
JESUS had returned from Mount Olives that morning to teach in the temple, and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery to Him.
Moses says in the law that we must kill such women by stoning. What do you say?
Jesus knew this was a setup, and he said nothing. But they kept badgering him as he wrote something in the dirt with his finger.
Let the one throw the first stone among you who has not sinned. And Jesus continued to write on the ground.
The Pharisees stood for a moment, and they began to leave one after another.
Eventually, only Jesus and the woman were left.
Jesus looked up and asked, “Where are your accusers?”
“They are gone,” she replied.
Jesus said to her, “Well, I do not condemn you either; all I ask is that you go and from now on, avoid the sins that plague you.” (John 8:1-11)
The men accused her of sin, but they did not bring the man with whom she sinned.
When they looked down on her, they exhibited arrogance—and those who looked up at the Pharisees showed envy.
How does love respond to failure?
JESUS bore her sin. He covered her inadequacy—helped her deal with it and grow after it.
Jesus was gracious to her.
When you hear a negative thing about anyone, do all you can to put the person in a good light.
For instance, if you planned to meet a person, and the person does not show up—assume the person couldn’t make it.
A circumstance shouldn’t define a person.
Love believes the best of people.
What does love demand?
GOD EXPECTS YOU to maximize love in response to failure—but love must demand the truth.
When Jesus said to the woman at the Well of Samaria to go and call her husband, he demanded the truth.
And the woman told the truth. She said, “I have no husband.” (John 4:1-17)
The woman was desperate to satisfy her soul, and she moved from one man to the other.
Then, she met a prophet who believed in her, and she ran into the city, telling people that she had met the Messiah.
Jesus showed her the truth.
You cannot show love to anyone without telling them the truth; neither can you go on enabling without confronting.
You must uncover so as not to enable—share grace and love.
BRINGING IT TOGETHER
THE WOMAN of Samaria chose the path of bravery by owning her mistakes and confessing her sins.
People will not know you by the bible verses you quote, but the way you live—your love will reveal who you are and tell the story of your King.
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