When You Are Caught at Your Worst...
By Jessica Bordeleau

The Bible has many accounts of strong women: Deborah, who knew just the right things to say to lead an entire nation; Ruth, who gave up everything to care for her mother-in-law; and Mary — a real life angel spoke to her and still she had the awareness of mind to answer nobly.

But I have learned a great deal from the account of a weak woman, a sinful woman, a woman — like me — terribly flawed. The Bible doesn’t tell us her name, where she came from, or anything about her life other than the few minutes that she interacted with Jesus. History hasn’t recorded her at her best; in fact, she has been caught at her worst (John 8:1-11).

Have you ever been caught at your worst? A slip of the tongue at the wrong time, a flare up of pride when humility was needed, actions that hurt instead of heal — we have all been caught at our worst.

The woman in this account has been caught in the very act of adultery. The Pharisees brought this woman to Jesus to see if He would participate in her stoning. They wanted to trap Jesus in a battle of semantics over the Law of Moses. Instead Jesus focused on the individual and ministered to her. He dismissed the crowd with a challenge and talked to the woman alone. He shared both law and gospel with her. He took her sin seriously, but gave her forgiveness.

We see in Jesus: care for the individual, undeserved compassion, and a new start. We see God’s tender love and forgiveness in a profound and almost shocking way. A woman who was caught at her worst was given the best. An angry crowd, ready to kill her, had surrounded her. But she didn’t die for her sin — Jesus did. God has used this sinful, flawed woman to teach us, to show us His perfect love and absolute forgiveness. God used this weak woman to show us His perfect power.

Do you see the message of encouragement here? If God can use her, He can use me. If God can work through her, He can work through you! This is empowering and comforting, but it is also challenging. If God can use anyone, He can even use that woman at church who is driving you crazy or that member of your team who is a challenge to work with.

Be encouraged. God uses flawed people! His grace is sufficient. His Word assures us, “God’s grace is sufficient for me, for God’s power is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).”

Listen to Romans 8:26-27 and be renewed! In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us... Even when we are caught at our worst, we are not alone.

Whether you feel strong and equipped, like Deborah — or weak and accused like the woman caught at her worst — Jesus comes to you, forgives you, and helps you in your weakness. The Holy Spirit Himself intercedes for you! You are not alone.

Dear Lord, We thank You that even when we are caught at our worst You give us Your best. Help us to be willing to see how You work through the flawed and weak. Give us courage to serve You despite our weaknesses, relying on Your strength. In Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen.