Loving Accountability

I recently heard a sermon wherein the pastor stated that John 8 makes it clear Jesus did not engage in political issues. He went on to present a story of how Jesus was minding his own business when the Pharisees confronted him regarding a woman caught in adultery. His point was that otherwise, Jesus intentionally avoided conflict—and so should we. This pastor went on to explain that when confronted by the political leaders, Jesus chose to stay silent rather than speaking up on behalf of the woman.

His summary of the story focused on Jesus’s interactions with the woman and the compassion he showed her. However, as I opened my Bible and read the whole story in context, I noticed a few additional important details. John 8:3-11 says:

The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.

But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”  Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.

At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

“No one, sir,” she said.

“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” (NIV)

Reading this story in context from start to finish reveals a different picture than the one the pastor presented in his sermon. It’s true that, at first, when the Pharisees asked Jesus for his opinion, he didn’t respond right away. He left space for the men to continue to justify their actions. However, Jesus didn’t walk away from the situation. Bending down and writing in the dirt is non-confrontational, but his presence is important. Jesus could have walked away and left the Pharisees to stone the woman as was permitted by law.

However, Jesus’s presence drew attention away from the woman. He protected her from the Pharisees by calling the attention to himself.

As the questions continued, Jesus spoke up. He wasn’t silent! He directly responded to the questions and told the Pharisees whoever among them was sinless should go ahead and start stoning the woman.

Jesus took the time to hold everyone in the community accountable.

Jesus didn’t defend the adulterous woman. However, he took the opportunity to remind the Pharisees that they were also sinners, just like the woman they were publicly shaming.

(As a side note, the man she was caught with didn’t seem to be around, and as we all know, it takes two to tango.)

Finally, after everyone else left, Jesus spoke directly to the woman. At this point, he also took the opportunity to address her sin. I believe Jesus spoke with kindness and compassion as he addressed this woman, who was likely battling a mixture of emotions ranging from shame to fear. Jesus didn’t let the woman caught in adultery off the hook. He absolved the women of her sin; however, he also said, “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

The conversations Jesus had with the Pharisees and the woman aren’t that different from conversations many Christians have with people in their personal communities every day. While it’s unlikely for Christians to stone someone for their sin, people tend to want to hold people accountable for their poor choices without pausing to take time for internal reflection about their own sin state.

The church is quick to call out “the other side” for its offenses, but sadly, we aren’t as good about holding ourselves accountable for the ways we wound our brothers and sisters in Christ or refuse to show love to our neighbors. These choices harm our opportunities to build and strengthen bridges in our communities.

Hypocrisy is destroying the church’s ability to influence. Our message becomes lost in the rhetoric of our attempts to ensure other people “pay” for their choices. Other times, the message of the gospel is lost altogether as we attempt to avoid conflict by staying silent.

When I read John 8:3-11 in context from start to finish, it seems to me that Jesus addressed the both /and of the situation. Both the Pharisees and the adulterous woman were sinners who needed a Savoir. Jesus didn’t avoid difficult conversations. He repeatedly responded to the Pharisees’ questions, even though he was fully aware his responses would upset them.

Brené Brown says shame kills empathy, and empathy is the foundation of love and justice. “It’s not fear that gets in the way of daring leadership; it’s armor,” she writes. “When things get tough, do we lean in to vulnerability and get curious, or do we self-protect in ways that move us away from our values?”

Jesus wasn’t afraid to bend over and draw in the dirt to divert attention from a shamed woman so she could regroup. It didn’t bother him to speak with prostitutes, tax collectors, lepers, or even Gentiles and Samaritans (gasp!). He came to teach those who needed to hear about God and to share his love with those who longed to hear from him.

Jesus established trust with every person he cared for, and they shared their stories with their loved ones. Word spread quickly about the compassionate Teacher. The same could be true today if we are willing to read and live out all of God’s Word in our lives, rather than only the parts we prefer or that seem comfortable. Looking at any sinful situation with nuance is challenging. It requires empathy and patience. It’s wise to pause and gather information by listening before speaking. If we are willing to do this kind of work, we can help establish a community that provides loving accountability, the kind of accountability Jesus demonstrated.

Beth Walker is a football coach’s wife and mom of two energetic boys. She strives to encourage those around her to pursue their best lives in Jesus whether she is near the game field, in church, or at the local coffee shop. As a writer, Beth has been striving to find her voice through seeing Jesus in the ordinary and extraordinary of daily life. She blogs at Lessons from the Sidelines.

Photograph © Melissa Askew, used with permission