John 3:8-9
As he was speaking, the Jewish leaders and Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery and placed her out in front of the staring crowd.
“Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the very act of adultery. Moses’ law says to kill her. What about it?”
They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, hurl the stones at her until she dies. But only he who never sinned may throw the first!”
Then he stooped down again and wrote some more in the dust. And the Jewish leaders slipped away one by one, beginning with the eldest, until only Jesus was left in front of the crowd with the woman.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
I truly believe that God allows us to experience many things in order to teach us empathy for others…including not only events like illness, personal loss, and natural disasters…but our own sins, as well. We are more empathetic when we have walked in another person’s shoes. Someone who has overcome a handicap is probably more understanding toward those like him/her. No one can talk to a smoker or another person with an addiction about quitting better than one who has already given up the habit. Unfortunately, the only way to truly understand grief and loss seems to be to experience it firsthand.
While personal knowledge and experience may increase our “street cred” when commiserating or encouraging someone else…this does not define our calling – and our ability – to share the love and forgiveness of Jesus with others. To put it another way, you do not have to be an adulterer, murderer, or addict in order to offer love, compassion, and encouragement to someone who is. Why? Because we all have sinned in some manner…and in the eyes of Jesus, no one is better or worse than another.
So while you judge the single mother whose significant other has been jailed for possession of drugs, you are overlooking that juicy tidbit of gossip you just shared with your best friend. While you shake your head and talk about the sexual predator who has moved into your neighborhood, you fail to acknowledge that you called someone (whether you know him/her personally or not) an unkind name – or you posted something derogatory about him/her on social media.
While you are busy looking down your nose at people you consider “less than” in some manner, you are completely oblivious to the fact that you have done your fair share of breaking Jesus’ commandments - just by passing judgment on another. If all of your sins were laid bare, the world would most likely see just how despicably you have behaved, as well.
The lesson for us is that while we want to pick up the stone and hurl it, we had best take a long hard look at all that we have asked God to forgive in our own lives first. The time has come to love others with the love of Christ, which means we are going to have to get down off our high horses and stop judging and condemning others. We need to start looking at everyone with the attitude that we could easily be the ones that other people are so eager to stone.
Look around. Who could use a smile…a hug…a handshake or an encouraging word that says, “I see you…not your mistakes.”? Do you love others with the love of Christ, regardless of who they are or what they have done? Do you understand that others look at you with the same disdain because of your own sins and shortcomings? When will we "put down the stone and" pick up an attitude of kindness and compassion for others, in order to ensure that they seek complete forgiveness from the only One who can truly give it?
Are you ready to practice true Christian discipleship and love of all people? Will this be the day that you get started?
©2016 Debbie Robus
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