John 8:4-8 – “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the very act of adultery. Moses’ law says to kill her. What about it?” They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, hurl the stones at her until she dies. But only he who never sinned may throw the first!” Then he stooped down again and wrote some more in the dust.
Jesus had been teaching at the Temple when the leaders dragged this woman in front of Him. He knew they were coming….he knew what she did…and He knew the real reason they had brought her. They thought they had finally thought of the perfect way to trap Jesus into an answer that would surely lead to His death…one way or another. Don’t stone her would be a serious violation of Mosaic law… validation to stone her would violate the Roman laws that denounced Jewish laws acting without Roman Leadership.
It was the ultimate silent treatment that gave Jesus the upper hand. No one will ever know what he wrote in that sand as he let time tick slowly by before he finally answered. Perhaps he was writing down scripture that would give Him the answer he needed. Perhaps he was writing down his options of answers and their results. Perhaps he was writing down the prayer he said to His Father to give him the perfect answer. Some theologians think he may have been writing down all the sins of those that stood ready to stone her.
It is a strong reminder to me that there are times that silence is a better answer than words could ever be. Silence gives us time to reflect on the problem…cool the anger or bitterness we feel….think about how the Bible tells us to handle it….pray for answers….or simply admit that we don’t have an answer for everything until God reveals it.
I admit that silence is one of the hardest things for me to do. I am a talker…a writer…my brain bursts double time with ideas and solutions that would fix everything from world hunger to the lack of a backsplash in my new home. The problem is that they are my ideas…not God’s…and they haven’t been approved yet by His great wisdom and Spirit. I needed the reminder today that I need time to reflect and ask His advice before I act on anything ever again.
Father…thank you for the reminder that you alone have all the answers to every problem that I will ever face. Forgive me for the times that I have spoken too soon and acted on my own. Thank you for even cleaning up the mess I made from my decision. Help me to be more like Jesus and use silence to give me time to reflect and seek your direction and wisdom. Amen.
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