"Where Is the Small Cutting Board?" (John 8:10-11)

“Where is the small cutting board?”

I was preparing dinner for my family and needed it to cut a small tomato. I spent several minutes searching for this cutting board, scouring the dishwasher, dishrack, and usual cupboard, all to no avail. Frustrated, I grabbed the largest cutting board and said to myself, “This family needs to learn to put things back in its proper place!” I intended to vent to my wife and daughter when they came home.

Within the hour, they returned home and I confronted them. My wife looked at me with a puzzled look and then said, “Our son put away the dishes!”

My son put away the dishes? He had never done this before. My wife turned to my son and kindly asked him to show us where he put the cutting board. He led us to a drawer that contained several plastic containers. There it was, neatly stacked on top of the containers. “Thanks Buddy! You were a big help to Mommy today!” My wife smiled and looked at me. “We will need to learn where to put all the dishes in its proper place, okay?” My son beamed and I was embarrassed.

As usual, I assumed the worst intentions when, in reality, the incident occurred because of the best of intentions. My son was seeking to please my wife and myself but my impatience and short sightedness almost led to conflict.

When things do not go the way I planned, I assume the worst and look to assign blame. My efforts are misguided because I do not apply grace to every situation, unlike my Lord, Jesus Christ.  I wonder how God can be so patient with me? I want to be like Jesus Christ, the Author and Perfecter of my faith.

So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.”

John 8:7 (NKJV)

This passage from the Bible describes the humiliating story of a woman caught in the act of adultery and hauled before Jesus by the Pharisees. They quoted the Mosaic law demanding that she be stoned for her sin. They questioned Jesus, testing Him to see what He would do. Jesus did not chasten or berate her. He did not make demean her or her sins. Instead, He spoke to her with kindness and firmness, valuing her worth as one of God’s creation. He gave her instructions and pointed her to the higher calling that God has for all of our lives.

When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?”

She said, “No one, Lord.”

And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”

John 8:10-11 (NKJV)

Sin no more. Simple. Direct. Spoken with the greatest love and extending mercy and grace to everyone He met. This is why I need to extend grace to everyone and in every situation, because I want to be more like Jesus.

He is my Savior and Lord.

He is Jesus Christ.

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.