TWO FRIENDS WERE WALKING THROUGH THE DESERT. DURING SOME POINT OF THE JOURNEY, THEY HAD AN ARGUMENT; AND ONE
FRIEND SLAPPED THE OTHER ONE IN THE FACE. THE ONE WHO GOT SLAPPED WAS HURT, BUT WITHOUT SAYING ANYTHING,
WROTE IN THE SAND, “TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SLAPPED ME IN THE FACE.”
THEY KEPT ON WALKING, UNTIL THEY FOUND AN OASIS, WHERE
THEY DECIDED TO TAKE A BATH. THE ONE WHO HAD BEEN SLAPPED GOT STUCK IN THE MIRE AND STARTED DROWNING,
BUT THE FRIEND SAVED HIM. AFTER HE RECOVERED FROM THE NEAR DROWNING, HE WROTE
ON A STONE, “TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SAVED MY LIFE.”
THE FRIEND WHO HAD SLAPPED AND SAVED HIS BEST FRIEND
ASKED HIM, “AFTER I HURT YOU, YOU WROTE IN THE SAND AND NOW, YOU WRITE ON A
STONE - WHY?”
THE FRIEND REPLIED, “WHEN SOMEONE HURTS US WE SHOULD
WRITE IT DOWN IN SAND, WHERE WINDS OF FORGIVENESS CAN ERASE IT AWAY. BUT, WHEN SOMEONE DOES SOMETHING
GOOD FOR US, WE MUST ENGRAVE IT IN STONE WHERE NO WIND CAN EVER ERASE
IT.”
I am sure that the fable wasn't
around in Jesus' time. But I wonder whether he had something like the idea in
mind when he wrote in the dust when faced with the woman taken in adultery.
John doesn't tell us what he wrote with his finger, but no doubt it was erased
within seconds as the wind blew and feet trampled over it. Perhaps he wrote her
sin there. Certainly he forgave her - and taught us to pray, "Forgive us
our sins, as we
forgive those who sin against us."
This morning our service ended with one of my favourite hymns, Before the throne of God, "I have a great High Priest who ever lives and pleads for me... My name is graven on His hands, My name is written on His heart..." (partly based on Isaiah 49.16). That's the best reason for engraving others' loving deeds indelibly, and erasing our grudges.
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