Using Her as a Weapon

It’s such a brilliant idea
bringing him one we’ve
caught in adultery
and making him choose
between his love of sinners
and the law of Moses.
It’s not so easy to find someone
to use as a weapon.

You need someone who is guilty
of adulterous sin
who won’t be missed.
Who doesn’t have a protector.
Who is conveniently located.
Someone who trusts one of us.
It’s not so easy to find someone
to use as a weapon.

You can’t just stop a stranger
on the road.
You can’t just tap someone
on the shoulder
and tell them
you want to kill them.
It’s not so easy to find someone
to use as a weapon.

I didn’t want to betray her.
I didn’t want to use her
but she was of no value.
Her life was worthless.
She had no husband.
She had no children.
It can be so easy to find someone
to use as a weapon.
John 8:2-11
© Presbypoet, March 15, 2004
This is a poem about the woman taken in adultery.
The man who has used her & betrayed her, just as guilty as her, stands there. He contemplates what they have done, as he waits to stone her. He tries not to look guilty. He tries to convince himself that she is guilty, it is all right to use her as a weapon to get to Jesus. That it was hard to find someone, and she fit the profile. He didn't have anything against her, but they needed to find someone. It was such a wonderful idea, all they needed was find someone to use as a weapon.

We all use others, in various ways. Some we convince ourselves are acceptable. Convinced he was acting for a higher cause, he excuses his actions. Are some of your actions like his? Have you used others? Do you need to confess, in order to be healed?

Do you think he feels guilty? Do you feel guilty for something you've done? Someone you've used, someone you hurt.

He sees her as a tool. Not a person. Just a tool to use. Nothing personal. Have you used someone like a tool? At work, taken advantage of someone? Used someone's body for gratification, without seeing the person you're using?

So easy, isn't it.

What do you think?