If we measure our goodness against the sins of others, it’s easy to pass judgment. But if we measure ourselves against the holiness of God, we’re not the judges we imagined ourselves to be. We’re the accused! When a sinful woman was brought to Jesus, He refused to condemn her, because her sentence would be paid in full on the cross. Since we’ve all been shown that same mercy, shouldn’t we be just as quick to extend it to others? Only the one without sin has the right to throw stones, and none of us qualify.

Breaking the Rules to Do What’s Right
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We sometimes mistake religious performance for a relationship with God, convinced that if we just check enough boxes, we’re doing what He desires. The Pharisees kept all the rules, yet their hearts were far from Him. Jesus repeatedly crossed their man-made boundaries, not in rebellion, but to remind us that God cares more about what’s right than what’s merely religious. The world isn’t looking for people with all the answers; they want to see people who actually look like Jesus. May we have the courage to love like He does, even when the religious establishment won’t, because doing what’s right sometimes means breaking the rules.

