I am...

Have you ever attended a Bible Study where the leader asked you what Bible character you most related to? I have been asked that question (more than once) and I have never told the truth. I am going to come clean today, lay down my pride, and tell you who I most relate to (and really would love to have more details than just the 11 verses in the Bible devoted to her). I relate to...the woman in John 8 that was caught in the act of adultery. See why I don't want to share? Who wants to sit in a room full of godly women and (those pretending to be) and tell them that? But she and I have a lot in common. I wasn't dragged physically from the act, it was 1991, it was actually pretty acceptable. But, I was caught. Pregnant, unmarried, and had already broken up with the father by the time I knew I was pregnant. UGLY, messy story. Sin generally is, there is no way to make it pretty. It's like putting lipstick on a pig. I wasn't stoned literally, but verbally, my fundamental Baptist church stoned the living daylights out of me. That old saying sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me? Not true. Words hurt. They leave marks and scars that don't show, but never completely heal. Here's where I would like more info from this story, although I know God in his wisdom didn't think we needed it. How many people were there watching? Were there other women who felt sorry for her, or did they condemn her too? Were there other women there that had gotten away with it and instead of lifting her up after this humiliation and loving her and praying for her, did they heap abuse as well? And of course the question everyone asks, WHAT DID JESUS WRITE IN THE SAND? I would love to know the rest of the story of this woman's life. Was she able to "go and sin no more"? I sure haven't. I try not to, but I fall more often than I would like. I really like the idea that this woman left feeling like Jesus had her back. He didn't condemn. He didn't approve, he forgave. And this same Jesus is mine.
Amplified Bible (AMP)Passage John 8:1-11: 1
BUT JESUS went to the Mount of Olives. 2Early in the morning (at dawn), He came back into the temple [[a]court], and the people came to Him in crowds. He sat down and was teaching them, 3When the scribes and Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery. They made her stand in the middle of the court and put the case before Him. 4Teacher, they said, This woman has been caught in the very act of adultery. 5Now Moses in the Law commanded us that such [women--offenders] shall be stoned to death. But what do You say [to do with her--what is Your sentence]?(A) 6This they said to try (test) Him, hoping they might find a charge on which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger. 7However, when they persisted with their question, He raised Himself up and said, Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her. 8Then He bent down and went on writing on the ground with His finger. 9They listened to Him, and then they began going out, conscience-stricken, one by one, from the oldest down to the last one of them, till Jesus was left alone, with the woman standing there before Him in the center of the court. 10When Jesus raised Himself up, He said to her, Woman, where are your accusers? Has no man condemned you? 11She answered, No one, Lord! And Jesus said, I do not condemn you either. Go on your way and from now on sin no more.
If you deal with guilt in your life from past actions, take Jesus there. Tell him the deepest darkest things that have happened. And then read this passage again. It's for you as well as it was for her, and it was (and continues to be) for me. Jesus wrote a message to me. In blood. On the cross. NOT GUILTY. I believe it. So no details needed, unless you want to share, but what character in the Bible do you relate too? And no judging, even if you relate to Mary the Mother of Jesus or Esther, but be warned, I'll be hunting you down for advice if that's your character.