What IF I put the stones down?

You might know the story. It’s familiar, but it’s always good to be reminded again…and then…again.

Jesus was in the temple courts teaching. People gathered around him, and the Pharisees tried to trick him in front of the crowd. Now before we actually get to “today’s truth” keep in mind that the Pharisees were the religious leaders of the day, the ones that seemingly had it “together”. Jesus spoke back to the Pharisees, and when he did he was speaking to religious God folk, not run of the mill non-believers. His message to the Pharisees has meaning for us today.

Today’s Truth: John 8:3-8

“The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women, now what do you say.?” They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.

But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.”

I like what Jesus said, through Eugene Peterson’s eyes, in The Message:

“The sinless one among you, go first. Throw the stone.”

I don’t know about you, but the last time I checked, I was certainly NOT sinless! Yes, as I have searched my heart the last few days regarding the subject of criticism, I realized that I was in a complete stone throwing war many days…even though the stones were just being thrown around in my mind.

I am convicted. I am concerned that I have been a Christian for SO LONG and have not been overly concerned about my stone throwing, either in attitude or action. Just as Jesus was addressing the Pharisees, I too can be much like a Pharisee. Looking good in service and actions on the outside, while being filled with criticisms, stones flying north and south in my mind, and judgment towards others just because they don’t do things the way I might do things, or they don’t do things the way I think they should. How arrogant! Yet, I am concerned that I never thought of it as arrogant!

There you have it. I KNOW if you are honest, you can relate.

So, in a practical sense, how DO WE go about laying down the stone?

There are two things that are of importance:

1. We are to live and love from the center of who we are…maybe we need a Core Make-Over! Perhaps at the core or center of us a toxic waste fill has been developed over time. Come to Jesus with the Core You, The Real You, and ask Him how the center of who you are might be tempting you to pick up so many stones. Jesus wants to heal your hurts so that you will stop hurting others.

2. Phillipans 4 instructs us to find good, any good, and dwell there. This applies to people. We are to discover the beauty in everyone. This is not easy because “cool is in the eye of the beholder” and if we don’t behold them as what we term as OK, then they are “out”. This is simply put: immature human flesh-nature living. Stretch yourself to look for the good and discover the beauty.

I will make a bullet point list from Romans 12:9-18, as written in The message

• Love from the center of  who you are
• Run from evil and hold on to good
• Practice playing second fiddle
• Bless your enemies, no cursing under your breath
• Get along with each other
• Don’t be stuck up.
• Don’t hit back
• Discover the beauty in everyone
• Don’t insist on getting even
• If you enemy is hungry get him lunch
• Don’t let evil get the best of you, get the best of evil by doing good.

Well, gotta go…on my way to the dump to take this flat-bed of stones there for disposal. They were kinda heavy anyway. They aren’t doing me any good. And, besides, I am not sinless, so according to Jesus, I have no right to throw a stone.

How about you?

Today’s Prayer

Father, ahhhh….I need you. My human flesh is so strong, my stone throwing arm too well developed. Help me Jesus. Transform my life by the renewing of my  mind in your word of truth. Jesus take truth to the Core of Me. Convict Me. Instruct Me. Change Me. I am realizing more and more that out of the center of who I am…there I am.  Work in me at the Center Point of my heart.