John 8:7-9-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. 9 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.The worldview we are able to grow into as Christians can be monumental to our witness in understanding how to relate to people, to foster peace and reconciliation.  For example I believe God blesses people with children or the opportunity to mentor younger people, to understand failure, shame, and compassion towards repentance…
The fame story of “the woman caught in adultery” typifies a gospel understanding of how to relate, restore, as well as warn those who fall into sin.  Though the persecutors of this woman, show their sexist bias in highlighting the woman’s failure as opposed to the man involved.  Jesus eradicates their bias with His presence and shining His light on their hypocrisy…(Galatians 6:1)
Jesus brilliantly asks her accusers whether they have the authority to condemn this woman by turning the accusation against them, “who is without sin”.  Though they didn’t think in this manner, as they dragged her before Him to be condemned.  Jesus highlights their heart, that lacks God’s presence to see their sins before condemning someone else of their sin…(Luke 6:36,39-42)
As Jesus asks the question of their sins, the accusers one by one starting from the oldest to the youngest, ironically walk away from the woman and leave her alone to stand before Jesus.  The oldest walking away first, implies the length of practice they have had in their life to sin before God.  Which should provoke a vast experience of God’s mercy and not self-righteousness to condemn others…
But the missing element in all of the accusers, was the presence of God from true worship practiced in their lives, starting from the oldest to the youngest.  Imagine what these “younger accusers” learned by watching older people forget what vast mercy God has had on them?  But no matter our age, if we truly walk with Christ, there should be a keen awareness of our sin before God. That mercy should lead before condemnation and self-righteousness, lest we prove we are not living in His presence. (Psalm 51:3, Psalm 130:3)
In His Love, Ld