Arrows Not Lines: Discovering a Centered-Set FaithSample

“Neither do I condemn you... Go now and leave your life of sin.” (John 8:11 NIV)

This moment between Jesus and the woman caught in adultery perfectly captures the heart of centred-set faith. She is dragged before him in shame. The crowd has drawn a boundary line around her—she is a sinner, deserving of death. But Jesus refuses to play the boundary game. “Let the one without sin throw the first stone,” he says.

One by one, her accusers drop their stones and walk away. Then Jesus does something profound: he combines radical grace with a call to new direction. “Neither do I condemn you,” he says—and then, “Go and sin no more.” Grace and direction, not condemnation and exclusion.

In a bounded set, she’d be disqualified. In a fuzzy set, maybe no one would care about her choices. But in a centred set, Jesus cares deeply about her—but invites her forward. He doesn’t deny her brokenness. He offers a better way.

Jesus doesn’t erase the truth. He redirects it. He doesn’t ignore sin. He reorients the heart. He doesn’t condemn. He calls.

Reflection Question: Where in your life might Jesus be saying, “I don’t condemn you—but let’s move forward”?

Prayer: Jesus, thank you for your grace. Thank you for meeting me where I am—but not leaving me there. Help me take the next step toward you, even if it’s small. I want to walk in your ways.