Before computers, typewriters. Before that, paper & pen; earlier still it was engraving stones or using papyrus. Humans love to write things down! An aid to memory, a splash of propaganda, and expression of the soul, a way to define facts and truth. Often, writing tells our stories, the values that we hold most dear.
We interpret things in Nature as “writing” or symbols or facts.
A crab leg left on the sand at low tide. Is your imagination at work? Relic left by a fisherman? The result of a crab squabble, or a seagull raid? Has our coastline been visited by seals, otters, sharks, or rays? A helpless remnant, pincers defiantly ready- but too weak or too late?
One hour later, and the inrushing tide will erase the story and the evidence. The crab leg will be gone, who knows where.
Now, if Jesus wrote stuff down, we’d want to know what He meant. But the only incident where Jesus wrote anything down was rather odd.
People trying to condemn Jesus as a breaker of the Law of Moses captured a woman engaged in a sexual relationship. Hoping to catch Jesus out, they demanded He tell them what to do with her… either Jesus would condemn her to be stoned to death (which would cause BIG trouble with the Romans who didn’t allow the Jews to kill their “sinners”) OR Jesus would be forgiving and therefore in breach of the letter of the Law (meaning He would be condemned as a denier of the Law).
Jesus said nothing. Then stooped to write something in the sand with His finger. AND WE DON’T KNOW WHAT HE WROTE! Aargh! How frustrating… Written in the sand, and blown away by the wind.
Then Jesus spoke. “Let the one without sin throw the first stone.”
Gradually the crowd disappeared- none of them was sinless. THEN Jesus said to her “I don’t condemn you- but change the way you live! Don’t do it again.” (Read the full story in John 8:1-11.)
Written in the sand, yet justice and mercy were lovingly engraved on that woman’s heart. And His words were ALSO written in letters of fire on the conscience of the crowd!
It is written. Pay heed to the Teacher lest we lose sight of Truth.
The Reflectionary 