John 8 :1-11 Stooping Down

I was reading in John 8 this morning and found something I haven't noticed before. It is the scene where a woman who is caught in the act of adultery is brought before Jesus asking if she should be stoned according to the law of Moses.  Jesus doesn't respond at first but instead stoops down and writes in the sand with his finger. Frustrating the accusers, Jesus continues to write as he stoops, while the woman is standing in their midst. Then, after her accusers force the issue, Jesus stands up and tells them that whoever is without sin, let him cast the first stone.  Jesus then immediately stoops again and writes in the sand with his finger. Can you see what is happening? Can you see what Jesus is doing when he stoops down? What a Savior and protector! While the woman is standing in the midst of a hostile crown, Jesus distracts and deflects their attention off of her and on to him as he stoops lower than everyone who is standing. The accusers eyes would move away from the woman and down to the ground where Jesus was stooping. He stands only when he challenges and rebukes the crowd and once rebuked, he stoops once again, deflecting attention away from the woman and on to him in order to defend her! What a Savior! What wisdom, compassion, protection, and love all wrapped up into the simple action of stooping. I am beginning to see that even his smallest actions were speaking volumes—and if we follow his life, our actions will also begin to speak louder than our words, especially when we deflect the anger and hostility of others on to the stooping Jesus who disarms our misguided hearts. And once disarmed, as was the case of those who were now dropping the stones, we can live to protect others rather than preserving our own self righteous crusades.