Dropping Our Stones
John 8:2–9
2 Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them.
3 Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst,
4 they said to Him, "Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act.
5 Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?"
6 This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.
7 So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first."
8 And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground.
9 Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
Jesus, sitting within the temple courts was teaching the crowd that had gathered to hear Him. The Pharisees chose this moment to bring an adulterous woman before Jesus. Their intention was to ensnare and accuse Him. To condemn the woman, was to undermine His message of mercy and grace. To not do so, was to violate the Law of God. In wisdom, Jesus remained silent. When He finally spoke, He silenced the accusers and established the benchmark for judgment. In doing so, He fulfilled the prophetic declaration that in Him mercy and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed (Psalm 85:10).
In contrast, we are usually quick to air our thoughts. “But what do you say?” generates a prompt response from most. We give our opinions, declare our outrage, and quickly judge the actions of others. Jesus however acted as though He did not hear. We would be wise to do likewise. Yet we often stand with stone in hand voicing our disapproval and demanding justice. Though usually not motivated by spite as in this case, we still respond with indignation to blatant sin, violation of values, or the insensitivity of others. We pick up our stones of venomous words, condemning comments and judgmental posts.
The tension between law and mercy plays out many times in our lives. As believers our conscience is soft, and our standards are high. We know truth from error. We see sin and it vexes our soul (2 Peter 2:8). The role of Judge however is not left in the hands of men. Only One who is without sin is qualified to judge another. When we are confronted with the demands of the law and the brokenness of humanity, we need the wisdom of God to respond well. There are times when like Jesus we need to remain silent. This is a challenge for most. We pride ourselves on our insight and are surrounded by platforms expounding the opinions of others. Words are cheap, grace is not. Grace brings mercy to those caught in sin and empowers a walk of love in a hypercritical world.
So how do we let go of our stones when the hurt is real, the offense obvious and the sin undefendable? It starts by seeing our own need for mercy. It is strengthened by the awareness of the Lord's defence when others have sought to condemn us. Our ability to live above the pull of sin does not come from our goodness, prolonged efforts or determined intent. It comes because we receive an abundance of grace from the One who does not condemn. It comes from the One who welcomes and receives before He redeems and instructs. None of us can live out the call to go and sin no more (v.11) without an encounter with love, the cancelation of guilt and the removal of condemnation.
Dropping our stones is not about excusing sin or covering up wrongdoing. It is not about abandoning duty of care or avoiding confrontation. It is however a challenge to our tendency to pick up stones and judge others. It is the recognition that when we lay hold of judgment, we let go of mercy. There are laws of the land that must be obeyed. There are principles of God that we violate at our own peril. First Corinthians says however, to judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts (1 Corinthians 4:5).
Jesus has set the standard for judgment. It is a standard that we all fail. The situations will vary, the offense will differ, but all sinners need a Saviour. Transition into His kingdom makes us saints, but not judges. So the next time we want to pick up stones, let's remember to look into His eyes and listen to His heart. As we do, we will catch a glimpse of His mercy and in the process, we will learn to drop our stones.
Consider:
Lord, how do I respond in wisdom to the situation I’m in?
I know my desire for justice and supporting the underdog comes from You. How do I steward that without becoming critical and judgmental of others?
Jesus, You only spoke what You heard the Father saying. I know however that I am strong in my opinions and quick to condemn others. What does my heart need to know?
In You Lord, mercy and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed. How do I walk that out with the responsibility I carry for the protection and wellbeing of others?
