Restoring the one who has hit rock bottom
Everybody knew.
The woman had been married five times. To add to her scandalous reputation, the man she was now living with wasn’t her husband. Her neighbors wanted nothing to do with her – except as a source of delicious gossip.
Shame reigned in the woman’s heart. Judgment reigned in her neighbors’. Then … Jesus entered the scene.
John 4:7-42 tells us the same crowd that had previously condemned the woman’s way of life later thanked her for telling them about Jesus. From one disgraced woman arose a ministry that impacted an entire community.
This week, we’ll focus on the final section of 1 Corinthians 13:6 (ESV): “[Love] does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.”
God calls us to rise above the temptation to gossip when people make devastating choices that ruin their lives and relationships. It’s especially easy to fall into this trap when it involves someone we don’t particularly like. But when we choose to behave this way, we further the decay of our country, our community and even our churches.
Wouldn’t it be better if, when we hear about people who have blown it, we looked for ways to bring God’s truth into their situations? We could start by admitting (to ourselves and to God) that we, too, have made poor choices. Then, we could seek ways to help those who are struggling to overcome or live with the consequences they’re experiencing.
We could let them know how others have been there for us during our times of struggle and offer to attend an AA meeting or other appropriate support group with them. We could also invite them to church and share a meal afterward. Let’s ask God to show us meaningful ways to get involved and then step out in faith to do what He tells us.
Recalling our opening story, how do you think the woman started her day the morning after she met Jesus?
How would you?
The National Day of Prayer falls on May 1 this year. This year’s theme is “He is the God of Hope and the Reason for Our Hope!” Their theme verse for 2025 is “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13 NASB).
May we, the Church, live and behave in a way that reflects the God of Hope we serve.
Sheryl H. Boldt writes fiction and non-fiction for children and adults. Her devotions appear in 35+ newspapers. She is also the author of the blog, www.TodayCanBeDifferent.net. Connect with her at [email protected].
