It was Saturday night, raining and thundering, flashes of lightning all over. Electric cables were broken and trees were fallen on the ground. The leaves around whistled in the wind and no one was on the street. All confined to the noisy club room without any knowledge of the doom. For me it was just another night with an uncommon light. Something unusual was about to happen of which I had no clue.

I waved goodbye to my friends aka partners-in-crime and got on the street to find a cab to my abode. It was so calm and no one was aware of what was happening outside. The noise and the high voltage music, the dosage of drugs and the swapping of partners and lovers on high was nothing compared to the damage caused on the outside.

Still in the quietness of the dark I walked searching for a cab. My high heels resounded in the quietness. In a while the tapping echoed and multiplied more as if a mob was after me. It was after a few more steps later that I realised that I am being followed by a group of moral police. My steps moved faster and heart beating at a rate higher. All I wanted was to escape from the hands of the moral police because none of my explanation would be enough for them to let me go. I started running, huffing and puffing with all my strength.

I was almost out of breath when I saw the cross in the shimmering light of the lamp post at a distance across the street. With all that was in me, I ran and crossed the street to hide myself behind the tall grown shrubs. Worn and weary, tattered and torn, I dragged myself to the front of the church where the cross was hung. On the wooden sign board was written 223, 265, 144, 105 and John 8:1-11. These numbers didn’t make any sense to me and I didn’t know at that time why my mind capture them. All I wanted was to be safe and protected.

Expecting no one inside the church, I opened the door quietly to sneak in without my predators’ notice. And there I stood inside the church with more than 100 eyes on me, all neatly dressed. I said to myself what on earth are they doing at this time of the night. But I dared not ask anyone and slowly moonwalked into one of the pews. It was warm inside. The atmosphere was full of an indescribable feeling. Felt so good for the very first time but the eyes staring me from all corners started making me uncomfortable. From old to the young all started to pierce me with their eyes. At first I thought it was because I disturbed the service by entering into the chapel late. Moments passed by and I realised it was about the way I was dressed. Even though I was in my best club attire, people inside expressed their discomfort through their stare. It seemed like I was not welcomed into their circle. All of a sudden that good feeling that I had for the very first time burst and I started feeling the way I usually feel with people of my club. The feeling of being unwanted, rejected, spoiled, abused just came back to my mind. It was in that moment the preacher uttered these words, “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery.” That was it. It broke me completely. I felt as if someone was talking about me. The earth below my feet moved. The stares and the words sounded so harsh and right on my face that I could not stand it.

Tears rolled down my cheeks. My makeup wasn’t glamorous anymore. I wanted to leave that place where everyone wanted to condemn me but the fear of the mob outside refrained me from moving an inch. For the very first time in my life, I wanted to live another moment. First time ever I felt the warm love but only for a moment. Sitting on that pew I longed to hear some assurance that I will be okay. I cried within me for help and hope. Just in that moment I heard the preacher say, “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.” What? Did I hear that right? Raising my head up I looked up to the altar where the preacher was preaching from. He read the scripture again. And yeah, lo and behold!!! There was none staring at me. For me it seemed to be a dream, a fantasy. I ran to the altar and lay myself at the feet of the preacher and cried and sobbed. I could not believe what I just heard.

The gentle preacher lifted me up and said, “Dear daughter, everyone has sinned and has fallen short from the glory of God. Sin happens in human life, but there is a God who cares for you even when you are in deep sin because you are His child. And He loves you the way you are right now.” Those gentle words where like bulldozers breaking open the flood gates of a water reservoir that have been holding so much of water for a long time. The water which had started stinking and was spreading bad smell. All of a sudden it came out with a mighty force. For the very first time in my life I felt the joy of being loved by someone. Till now I used to go in search of love and here I am in the invisible arms of a lover who loves me even when I have wronged Him.

Today when I sit in the Kingly presence of my lover, my King, my Saviour, I see lot of people who are exactly like the way I was before He found me. I still find people staring at them, young and old. Nowadays the trend has gone even further. People start commenting in public and social media about the wrongs that others do. Instead of telling them that Jesus loves them, we end up condemning them. Those are the moments when I realize the wisdom and love of Jesus. Had He not embraced me with His love, I would have died on that rainy Saturday night. I would have never seen a resurrection Sunday. I would have never come to the knowledge of His saving grace. I would have never been able to spread the message of His love and grace to you today. Today God is using me to spread His fragrance to a great multitude through my story and many have found the real Love.

If you have come across my story accidently, I would say it is not an accident or coincidence. It is with a purpose. If you think you are the protagonist in this story, you have a hope just as I found grace in the eyes of my Saviour. He loves you not because you are a sinner but because you belong to Him. He loves you not because He pities on you but because He cares for you. Would you allow Him to love you more and walk with Him to see the indescribable gifts that He has been storing for you?

Let’s make a resolution today that we will never condemn a person just because of the condition they are in or the way they look or behave. Because none of us know why that person is the way that person is. If Jesus knowing the past, present and the future of the woman, can forgive her and give her a chance with a hope, let’s make sure that we imitate Him.

Your loving and caring words will build them, your harsh condemning words will kill them.

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