When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.” Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”
John 8:9-12

Dear God, I don’t know if the end of the adulterous woman story and the beginning of this new confrontation with the Pharisees are supposed to be linked, but other than the division the the translators put in there, John doesn’t give us any indication that this didn’t happen all at the same time so I want to look at them all being together. He told the woman he wasn’t going to condemn her and to go and sin no more. Then he told people that if they can walk in his light and have life.

Go and sin no more. Walk in light. Have life.

On the other hand, I can go ahead and sin, leave the light, and miss out on life. But sinning in the moment can feel so good. Judging others. Gossiping. Lying to cover up my mistakes. Lusting. What fun is it to treat others around me with respect, be vulnerable and tell the truth, and love my neighbor as myself?

I guess it can be compared with eating a healthy meal or eating poorly. The balanced, nutritious meal will leave me satisfied and feeling good while the pizza buffet and the big desserts will be enjoyable in the moment, but leave me feeling bad and, overall, less healthy. Then when you pile those experiences on each other time after time you are left with a terrible body. That’s walking in the dark.

Father, help me to be mindful of what walking in the light looks like at any given moment. Give me the strength to choose you, to sin no more, and to walk in your light. I want this not only for myself, but also so that you can use me in the world around me.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen