Chalk Pavement Pictures

(originally published March 26, 2012)

A splash of color caught my eye.
There were daisies with colorful petals, hearts, flowers, happy faces…
Arrows pointing to a message here, another message there.
I saw the word FRIENDS in large bubble letters.

Chalk pavement pictures drawn by two little girls down the street.

Since we have not had any rain, this masterpiece, drawn days ago, is as fresh as when the artists first imagined it.

How lovely.
FRIENDS…written at least twelve inches high…the biggest drawing on the driveway.

What was even sweeter was that the names of the artists were written in swirly letters.
Crooked arrows were drawn from their swirly names to the description of what they are…
FRIENDS.

Wouldn’t it be nice if we adults took the time to draw chalk pavement pictures?
Our sentiments displayed for all to see.

This must have been a good day for these two little girls.
Their friendship was as solid as the pavement they proclaimed it on.

But what if it wasn’t?
What if ENEMY was written there…with crooked arrows pointing to the offender?
What if flowers were thorns?
What if happy faces were crying?

What if the pain we often inflict on others, sometimes without even knowing it, was displayed across our driveways?

What if our thoughts and our sins were in bubble letters for all the world to see?

Jesus drew His own chalk pavement picture when He bent down and started to write on the ground with His finger. A woman was caught in adultery and the law demanded that she be stoned. The Pharisees and teachers of the law questioned Jesus as a way of trapping Him. What does He say about it? (John 8: 1-11)

If Jesus said to let her go, He was not upholding the law. If Jesus agreed to the stoning, He was no friend of Rome, since the empire alone had the power to pass a death penalty.

His frustrating silence must have irritated them.
Until they noticed His not so subtle response to their questioning.
God’s word does not tell us what Jesus wrote on the ground.

If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.

Jesus stooped down and wrote some more.

What was Jesus’ chalk pavement picture?
What did he write that caused the men to leave, one at a time, until no one was left but Jesus and the woman caught in adultery?

Where are they? Has no one condemned you?
No one, sir.
Then neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin.

Chalk pavement pictures fade over time.
They are erased with the first rain.
There is grace in the fact that they can be erased.
The artist can start over and draw again.

Jesus stooped and wrote…straightened…and did not condemn.
Solid grace.

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3: 22, 23)