Neither do I condemn you.

“Neither do I condemn you.” Jesus’ words would have struck deeply at the heart of the woman caught in adultery, leaving her forever changed.

Our lives often mirror both the condemning Pharisees and the condemned adulterous woman. At times, we take the place of the Pharisees—self-righteous, proud, eager to be proven right. But to what extent does being right truly fulfill us? Does recognition complete us, or is it a fleeting comfort? And when we are proven wrong, the sting of humiliation can echo the silent retreat of the Pharisees, exposed and defeated. Yet in both moments—of fleeting triumph and of shame—there remains a hollowness. Neither vindication nor failure brings the lasting joy we seek.

There have been countless moments when we’ve walked the same painful path as the adulterous woman—lost in our sin, consumed by shame, and feeling hopelessly trapped by the weight of our own failures.

Just like most of us, in those moments, I yearn for the gaze of Jesus—for that still, sacred moment when He says, “Neither do I condemn you.” I long to hear those words—not just with my ears, but with my soul. To feel that healing grace wash over me, breaking the chains of shame, guilt and anxiety and replacing them with the pure, overwhelming joy of being truly seen, known, and forgiven.