“…Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” John 8:7
Last summer the boys and I helped a farmer pick up large rocks from his field. Many of those rocks barely were visible from the surface but once we spotted them and begin to dig and lift, a huge rock was exposed. One so large, my son could barely pick it up! It was actually a lot of fun to hunt for these rocks as we drove up and down the rows like detectives looking for unwanted offenders in our path. This week, I got thinking more about rocks…stones. Conviction…..condemnation. God….the enemy. And I began to see rocks in a new way.
In the book of John, a woman is brought before a group. She is accused of adultery and the plan was to stone her. People would grab stones, rocks, and throw them at her until her death. Jesus happened to be there at this particular moment and they questioned Him as to how He would approach this “sin” in the woman. He replied with:
“If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” John 8:7
No one threw a stone.
I’m not sure about you, but I understand how that woman felt. How it felt to be pulled before a group, stones in hand, a target for painful words to be launched like stones. Fingers pointed. Judgement cast. Doors closed on you. Backs turned. Alone.
But God….
He has never left me. While I didn’t have Jesus standing next to me in the physical sense telling others to put down their stones, what He required was my faith in Him. That if I believed He would protect me, and make every stone fall from their hand while I continued to honor and serve Him, I had nothing to fear.
See, just like those stones, some are bigger than others. Some take immense strength to carry and launch and can cause grave damage. Sometimes others can launch stones with such great impact that when they land God has some clean up to do.
“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” Genesis 50:20
I’ve learned something, that the one intending to harm, isn’t the one holding the stone. It is the one influencing the person to pick up the stone, Satan.
“For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night….” Revelation 12:10
Satan likes when we feel “condemned.” He wants us to feel small, insignificant, hopeless, helpless, alone. He likes to take our family, friends, and neighbors and taint their view of us so that they pull away from us and stand next to him, the enemy holding a stone ready to launch.
But God….
He reminds us not to be the bearers of stones for our sin is as great as the one we aim for. And like those stones….there is often more under the surface than we see from the top of the “dirt.” For example, a homeless man on the side of the road begging may have just had an unexpected bomb go off in his life to put him in a place of desperation. He may have no family or friends to come to his aid. A child who is always getting into trouble and hurting others may have been neglected or abused the day before. Someone with fancy clothes may have been blessed with one beautiful outfit for an interview because they couldn’t afford it on their own. A family appearing to live in luxury on a trip of a lifetime may have been gifted that money or set it aside for years to enjoy that experience with their family.
There is always more than meets the eye.
“So do you think that you can judge those other people? You are wrong. You too are guilty of sin. You judge them, but you do the same things they do. So when you judge them, you are really condemning yourself.” Romans 2:1
Condemnation sounds so harsh, easy to say “I don’t do that.” However, to condemn is to express disapproval of, typically in public or to others. Further defined as declaring something as wrong or evil “usually” after weighing evidence and without reservation1. But do we ever know all the “evidence?” Will we ever be in a place of all knowing like our Father in Heaven?
This week, as you meet others and reflect on situations laid in front of you consider what is buried under the surface not visible to your eye. Trust that the battle is not yours but God’s. Send up a prayer for discernment and trust that God is the true judge and you can alleviate yourself from that role.
….and if you stand on the other side of that stone about to be thrown, remember who stands next to you, in front of you, and all around you. You are not alone.
“Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.” 2 Chronicles 20:15
Dropping stones with you, Julie
Father, Today I Surrender:
My Condemnation
Show me the next step I should take.