Just one day at a time

One day at a time

I'm only human; I'm just a man
Help me believe in what I could be and all that I am
Show me the stairway
I have to climb
Lord for my sake
Teach me to take
One day at a time

One day at a time, sweet Jesus
That's all I'm asking from you
Give me the strength to do everything that I have to do
Yesterday's gone sweet Jesus
And tomorrow may never be mine
Help me today
Show me the way
One day at a time.

Marijohn Wilkins and Kris Kristofferson


None of us is perfect - though many of us relish and delight in the imperfections and foibles of our friends and less-than-friends. The horror we experience when it becomes clear we are the butt of someone else’s gossip or joke is rife with embarrassment and anger. Sometimes our desire to humiliate others in private is relentless. When we are confronted by the victim, we become indignant and deny our role in the ordeal. It may well be part of the ‘human condition’. Wilkins’ and Kristofferson’s Gospel standard, One day at a time, is accepting of who we are, but it challenges each of us to believe in ourselves, seek and accept guidance, and to improve and deepen our capacity to live full and enriching human lives.

This 5th Sunday of Lent brings us the story of the adulterous woman (John 8:1 – 11). The woman is brought before Jesus by the scribes and Pharisees, who say: “Moses ordered us in the Law to condemn women like this to death by stoning.” Jesus responds: “If there is one of you who has not sinned, let him be the first to throw a stone.” Each of her accusers slowly walks away. No one has condemned her and Jesus directs her to, ‘Go away and don’t sin any more.’ Her accusers acknowledge – but perhaps do not accept – their own sinfulness, their own lack of perfection. Their desire to physically admonish and humiliate this woman has backfired and they walk away shamed by the image they see of themselves.

There are obviously multiple issues in this story: what happened to the equally adulterous man? Why were the scribes and Pharisees hell-bent on testing Jesus? What did they hope to achieve? Were there life-long changes effected by this incident in the accusers and the accused?

We can easily place ourselves into this story – as the woman, or as one of her accusers. Either way we must seek to understand who we are, know where we are in the story that is our life, and seek to live just one day at a time.