How many times do we say all that needs to be said? We live in such a fast pace day that giving yourself time to think about a response or answer seems like a luxury. So often we say something that is easy and simple. But when we walk away from the situation we wish we would have said something else.

But when the thing we need to say is tough it makes it difficult to properly respond. If someone shares about their struggle or sin we so often try to emphasize how we can relate to their battle. We try to lean heavily on compassion and love. But have we over done it in this area? Or have we misunderstood what compassion is? And in our pursuit to be relatable, we have failed to say what needs to be said. WE have failed to relate how God relates to us.

From the very beginning God let us know what He expected in our relationship. He said “Just don’t do this one thing.” Unfortunately, we did this one thing and sinned against God. Imagine God had never told us that we broke this relationship. Imagine God said nothing at all and just allowed silence. Oh, sure, He would walk by, pretend everything was ok, but say nothing. And in the end suffer the consequence of this sin, which is death. But praise God, He did not remain silent. He told us we had broken this relationship and provided a way to restore this relationship.  It seems harsh for Him to tell us, but that’s love. To say the hard stuff.

Jesus modeled this same love in the account of the woman caught in adultery. She was brought before Jesus as a test. The religious people were trying to trap Him. But he took time and wrote on the ground. He asked the men one question, and one by one they left. He then showed compassion on her and told her that He would not condemn her. But  that wasn’t all! He ended with tough love. He said: “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on SIN NO MORE.” He didn’t just say that he understood, or simply had compassion, He had real compassion. A compassion that knows what matters is our relationship with the almighty God.

So how about you? Are there people in your life that you have listened to and shown great compassion. Have you taken time to show them that  they matter? You see them in the sin, but just can’t muster the strength to encourage them to a holy life? Show them real love. Show them real compassion. It can be as simple as ending your conversation with, “from now on sin no more.””

Early in the morning he(Jesus) came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”

(John 8:1-11 ESV)