If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her. John 8:7b
As I traveled along a multi-lane tollway that intersected with a major highway on my way to a funeral, my GPS alerted me to the left turn up ahead. Problem was, the signs set over the lanes appeared to suggest a different direction.
To make a directional blunder would cost me several more minutes as I untangled myself from heavy traffic and made a course correction within a metroplex touting a population of over four million. No piece of cake.
With only seconds to make a decision, I chose to take the GPS route and slipped into the far left lane – which only served to irritate the rather aggressive driver of a white Dodge Ram truck.
Despite my effort to accelerate and maneuver out of his way, he felt the need to shadow me.
Then I lost sight of him.
Until he appeared again, this time on my right side. While
in transit, the guy chucked a sizable rock at the back car door before speeding on ahead…either fully satisfied with the outcome of his retaliatory action or darn frustrated that he’d missed my head by, oh, say, four feet.
What. The. Heck!? I asked with mouth agape and knuckles blanched on the steering wheel.
If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her. John 8:7b
I rolled my eyes upward. Yes, Lord, I hear You.
But the disturbing sound of a rock connecting with the hard metal clanged louder.
My own will shoved its abrasive self successfully to center stage as I made an attempt to wiggle left past other cars and edge close enough to identify the man’s license tag. Something. Anything.
Then chimed that robotic GPS again. “Exit right ahead.”
Okay, fine. I could no longer cast my own stone, the likes of a steely-eyed glare, AND make it to the funeral on time.
Duly convicted, I disregarded the incident and dropped my proverbial stone with a thunderous thud.
When the puffed up Pharisees forced a woman caught in adultery to stand before the crowd which had gathered to hear Jesus’ teaching within the temple courts, they reminded Him of the Law – like He really needed reminding.
Such women were to be stoned.
Empty handed, Jesus stooped low and began to write something, looking an awful lot like One Who’d once written on tablets of stone with his finger.
They persisted in their questioning.
Jesus straightened Himself again and addressed the real heart issue:
If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her. John 8:7b
In one sentence, He’d cleared the sizable room, leaving only Him and the adulterous woman.
“Has no one condemned you?”
“No one, sir,” she said.
“Then neither do I condemn you.,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” John 8:10b-11
Next time I find the fingers of my mind around a stone, targeting a (ahem) fellow sinner, it would be wise to remember the One who doesn’t treat me as my sins deserve, but, rather, removes them as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103). And Who is Himself the living Stone and created me to be one among many living stones
upon which He is building His spiritual house (I Peter 2:4-5).
And it’s awfully hard to build a house when rocks of accusation are being thrown.
What’s that you have in your hand?
Comments