Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: Justified (02/26/26)
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TITLE: A Rope of Hope, a monologue | Previous Challenge Entry
By Laurie Kiel
03/05/26 -
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Justification.
It’s so easy to take it for granted.
(SAYS IT LIGHTLY) Declared righteous
(REPEATS SLOWLY WITH EMPHASIS)
Declared righteous.
Why me?
What did I do to deserve it?
The answer is – nothing.
All I had to do was say yes to Jesus.
And I think of a woman in the Bible who said yes to Jesus’ gift of justification.
I wonder what it would have been like to be the woman caught in adultery.
PUTS ON A HEADDRESS
“How could I have been such a fool?” was all I could think as the Pharisees dragged me through the city. What I thought of as a night of fun turned out to be the first act in a play of death, my death. I didn’t know why they wanted to trick me into committing an act worthy of stoning. Did it matter? Not really. “Why” didn’t matter. The only thing that mattered was ”when.” When would I be feeling the stones strike my body?
To my surprise, the Pharisees made me stand in front of Jesus and demanded that he judge me. I almost felt sorry for Jesus. Caught in their trap, does the teacher of mercy choose mercy or defy the Law of Moses? My head is bowed in shame and resignation, so I can’t see what anyone is doing. But I can still hear. I hear Jesus say, “Let he who is without sin throw the first stone.”
I hear footsteps as one after another they leave. And then silence. I look up, and it’s just Jesus and me. Jesus looked at me with eyes of liquid love. “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” “No, Lord,” I tell him. And Jesus said words I thought I would never hear, especially from a rabbi. “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.” John 8:10-11. NLT
A fresh start. And I took it.
I was caught in a life of sin
Hoping against hope for a new life
To begin
Any righteousness of mine was in ashes
On my heart were countless gashes
Of rejection
But then Jesus threw me a rope
Of hope
And though I had no hope of vindication
Jesus paid for my justification.
WOMAN REMOVES HEADDRESS
Even though my own story is so different from that woman’s in important ways, it’s the same story. I made poor choices. I deserved condemnation, and Jesus gave me mercy. He offered me a fresh start and I took it.
I was caught in a life of sin
Hoping against hope for a new life
To begin
Any righteousness of mine was in ashes
On my heart were countless gashes
Of rejection
But then Jesus threw me a rope
Of hope
And though I had no hope of vindication
Jesus paid for my justification.
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