The tragedy of Tamar and the victory for the woman caught in adultery

Things aren't always as they appear

"Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall." 1 Corinthians 10:12

I had to take a break from the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing of Judge Brett Kavanaugh. Although I only watched a few minutes of it, I could feel myself getting sucked into the vortex and the anger of injustice stuck in my throat like a bone.

As I was pondering my response to it, the words "the tragedy of Tamar" came to mind followed almost immediately by the words "and the victory for the woman caught in adultery". I was curious as to what the correlation was, not only to what I was feeling, but to each other.

Upon rereading the account of Tamar, the tragedy is played out. Not only did her half brother rape her, then despised her and made a mockery of her, but then her other brother Absolom had Ammon murdered.  (you can read the account in 2 Samuel 13)

Fast forward to Jesus's day and the woman who was thrown before Him by the Pharisees. They had caught her in the act of adultery and wanted Jesus to judge her, hoping to find some way of accusing Him. His response was to stoop down and write in the sand as though He didn't hear them. When they continued to press Him, he responded "He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.' (John 8:7)  Soon there were none standing to accuse her. With no one there to point a negative finger at her He responded to her in the grace that we all desire to receive..."Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more." (John 8:11)

Here I am now, sorting through the similarities and differences.  A sexual crime in both accounts, a vindication, and a command to go and sin no more.  The tragedy in Tamar's case was the assault not only to her body, but her character, because she would be deemed unworthy for marriage because she was no longer a virgin. The murder of Ammon may well have vindicated her, but it caused a deep rift in the family. A loss no matter how you look at it. The victory for the woman caught in adultery was, even though caught in the act and accused, she received grace and a command to go forward and sin no more.

So how does this all fit with what I've been watching unfold on TV?

As you will notice in the picture above, it looks like the face of a young woman with braids and a headband wearing earrings and bright red lipstick. If you examine it closer you see it is a necklace, some buttons, a couple pairs of earrings and a jeweled piece. Although an interesting picture of something made up from different parts, not the real deal. Not everything we see or hear is as we might initially perceive it to be. 

All this to say there are always some very compelling conversations on both sides of an argument.  Some that bring about tragedy and death, and others that bring about victory and life. Taking our cue from Jesus Himself, we should listen long, leave the judgement to Him, and go forward without sinning ourselves.

May we all be wise enough to do so.