Stones

 

Mistake is made

Which way to turn

Judged and battered

Bruised and torn

 

What got her here?

Can anybody tell?

Or will you just join

And throw stones as well?

 

Does anyone here

Know her heart?

Why she was weak?

Why she fell apart?

You’d rather assume

Make a judgment call

Any of you standing

Beware lest you fall

 

You expose others

Yet hidden you remain

How quick you forget

I see all sin the same…

Remember the Scriptures about the teachers of the law who threw a woman caught in the act of adultery at Jesus’ feet saying, “The Law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?” Jesus then stooped to the ground, writes in the sand, and tells them, “He without sin, cast the first stone.” The men walk away one by one. Jesus says to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one condemn you? Neither do I. Go and sin no more.” (John 8:1-12)

Many of us have read that passage and marvel at God’s mercy. We imagine ourselves in this broken woman’s shoes and the relief she must have felt having her life miraculously spared. We look at the “accusers” and are disgusted at how heartless they were, how devastating a public display of sin must have felt like, and feel a sense of thankfulness that “nowadays” is not like that anymore.

As I read these passages again, I found myself zooming in on the “accusers” once again, but in a totally different light. Could it be that we could fall into the same religious trap as these men? Sharing on public venues, text gossip, and calling to give “prayer requests” for one of our brothers or sisters in Christ who has fallen head face into sin? Merciless just like the Pharisees; parading around with a sole desire to make other’s wrongs known.

So is it really any different than it was that day in the temple yard? With the technology today, news travels fast. Within a day’s time a global gossip network has been formed, fully armed with stones in hand. Just like that… overnight – you become a leader of “sowing discord among the brethren” – leading others, many in whom you do not even know, into abomination.

“These six things the Lord hates, Yes, the seventh is an abomination to Him: A proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren.” (Proverbs 6:16-19)

Jesus is saying the same thing to us, “Is any among you without sin? If not, then drop the stones. Stop mimicking the enemy of your soul, the accuser of the brethren. If you love Me, walk as I walked.” (Rev. 12:10, 1 John 2:6)

As Christ followers, we are called to be like Him. The Christian life is about being transformed daily into His image, His likeness, His way of doing things. With that said, let’s look again at the opening passage of Scripture. “He without sin, cast the first stone.” Notice – Jesus, 100% sin free, yet you never see Him pick up a stone. He didn’t come to demolish what was already broken, but to restore it. (John 3:17) 

“If another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path.” (Galatians 6:1)

 

Prayer:

Lord, may our hearts break for the hurting, for their reconciliation to You. May we never use another’s brokenness as a sick form of entertainment that fuels our self-righteousness. You are not willing that any should perish but that all would come to repentance. We want that heart. We want a heart that is broken for the lost and for our fellow brethren who have entangled themselves in the affairs of another path.

We know that bad company corrupts good habits, so Lord, help us remove ourselves from those who choose to gossip and slander, from those who pull us away from doing Your will, from those who keep us flesh conscious rather than spirit conscious. We want to be promoters of unity not sowers of discord. 

 

Forgive us for the damage we have caused others when we have not used our tongue to bring life.

(Rom. 1:29, 2 Peter 3:9, 2 Cor. 5:20, Prov. 20:19, 2 Thess. 3:11, 1 Cor. 15:33, Psalm 133:1, Prov. 6:14, Psalm 34:13, Prov. 18:21)

Scripture Buffet

When we fail to be in God's Word and read what He has to say - we tend to create our own litmus test as to how we are doing spiritually, how obedient we are, how much better we are doing than our neighbor. We take certain Scriptures we want to give ourselves wholeheartedly to and others we conveniently pass over because they don't appeal to us, require too much of us, or they are a challenge to our personality. We deceive ourselves when we think we can pick and choose.  God isn't into serving buffets.

"Man does not live on bread alone, but on EVERY word that comes from the mouth of God." Matthew 4:4

And in all truth, as obedient as we may be in the Scriptures we handpick, we are still living in disobedience.

"For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God’s laws." James 2:10

Please don't misunderstand me. I am in no way saying we are saved by our works or that our works define our Christian faith. We need the Holy Spirit working in us to be able to live a life pleasing to God. It is nothing we can do in and of ourselves. BUT it is our responsibility to align ourselves with the Holy Spirit. It is our job to cooperate with His working in us to make adjustments in us that line up with what God desires from His children.  If we truly desire to serve God, our actions will line up with our confession.

 

 

"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you." John 14:26

We point fingers and we whisper about others, but are we lacking in an area that just might be different? OF COURSE WE ARE! We have to get our eyes off of judging others. We have to quit comparing our lives to them and look at our lives in comparison to the Word - the whole Word. It is one thing to be concerned for a fellow believer. We should be! BUT if it is out of a heart of love, we will not shun or condemn the person, but will reach out to them.

We are saved by His grace. It's all about what Jesus did and nothing of ourselves.  We all need His continued grace and mercy each and every day because we all fall short. In different areas? Yes. Other's faults tend to look worse in our eyes when put next to our own, but not to God. He sees all shortcomings, all sin the same. We all need the same shedblood to cover us.

I think if we start viewing it as God does, the time we spend gossipping and throwing stones at others can then be used to seek Him with our whole heart. It becomes "How am I measuring up to Jesus?" Rather than "Look at them. I can't believe they call themselves a Christian."

 

If we are seeking Him with our whole heart, we will have His heart. We will view others differently. We will love them differently. We will reach out to embrace, not to crush.  We Christians are all foreigners TOGETHER in the earth. It's time we stick together, spur one another on, build one another up in the faith.  Our strengths are different. Our weaknesses are different, but we are all on the same team.


Lord, we need our eyes opened, our hearts humbled, our spirits hungry for Your Word. Jesus is the Word made flesh and we know apart from the fullness of Your Word, we limit ourselves in knowing You.  All too often times we create a god in our own image that suits our ways and our lifestyle. We want to serve You, the ONLY true and living God.

We ask for Your help to stay focused; that we wouldn't let any church tradition or teaching bind us up from searching You out more; that there'd be no sin we'd rather hold onto than You. We refuse to let this flesh of ours rule us - whether it be what we consider big sins of adultery, stealing, addiction and the like or what is categorized as small sins: "white" lies, dishonest gain, gossip, speaking ill of others etc. Help us to realize that sin is sin. It cost Jesus the same price for each and every one of them.  He paid a debt we could never pay. How dare we think it okay to take it for granted and okay "little" sins in our life as if You don't see. May our eyes be opened, Lord, to see our lives, our hidden lives how You see it. Just as Jesus told the people, "You must leave all and follow Me." May nothing in our lives be too precious to let go of for Your sake, Lord.  Please shine a light on those things we are holding onto tighter than we are You.

Stones

 

Mistake is made

Which way to turn

Judged and battered

Bruised and torn

 

What got her here?

Can anybody tell?

Or will you just join

And throw stones as well?

 

Does anyone here

Know her heart?

Why she was weak?

Why she fell apart?

You’d rather assume

Make a judgment call

Any of you standing

Beware lest you fall

 

You expose others

Yet hidden you remain

How quick you forget

I see all sin the same…

Remember the Scriptures about the teachers of the law who threw a woman caught in the act of adultery at Jesus’ feet saying, “The Law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?” Jesus then stooped to the ground, writes in the sand, and tells them, “He without sin, cast the first stone.” The men walk away one by one. Jesus says to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one condemn you? Neither do I. Go and sin no more.” (John 8:1-12)

Many of us have read that passage and marvel at God’s mercy. We imagine ourselves in this broken woman’s shoes and the relief she must have felt having her life miraculously spared. We look at the “accusers” and are disgusted at how heartless they were, how devastating a public display of sin must have felt like, and feel a sense of thankfulness that “nowadays” is not like that anymore.

As I read these passages again, I found myself zooming in on the “accusers” once again, but in a totally different light. Could it be that we could fall into the same religious trap as these men? Sharing on public venues, text gossip, and calling to give “prayer requests” for one of our brothers or sisters in Christ who has fallen head face into sin? Merciless just like the Pharisees; parading around with a sole desire to make other’s wrongs known.

So is it really any different than it was that day in the temple yard? With the technology today, news travels fast. Within a day’s time a global gossip network has been formed, fully armed with stones in hand. Just like that… overnight – you become a leader of “sowing discord among the brethren” – leading others, many in whom you do not even know, into abomination.

“These six things the Lord hates, Yes, the seventh is an abomination to Him: A proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren.” (Proverbs 6:16-19)

Jesus is saying the same thing to us, “Is any among you without sin? If not, then drop the stones. Stop mimicking the enemy of your soul, the accuser of the brethren. If you love Me, walk as I walked.” (Rev. 12:10, 1 John 2:6)

As Christ followers, we are called to be like Him. The Christian life is about being transformed daily into His image, His likeness, His way of doing things. With that said, let’s look again at the opening passage of Scripture. “He without sin, cast the first stone.” Notice – Jesus, 100% sin free, yet you never see Him pick up a stone. He didn’t come to demolish what was already broken, but to restore it. (John 3:17) 

“If another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path.” (Galatians 6:1)

 

Prayer:

Lord, may our hearts break for the hurting, for their reconciliation to You. May we never use another’s brokenness as a sick form of entertainment that fuels our self-righteousness. You are not willing that any should perish but that all would come to repentance. We want that heart. We want a heart that is broken for the lost and for our fellow brethren who have entangled themselves in the affairs of another path.

We know that bad company corrupts good habits, so Lord, help us remove ourselves from those who choose to gossip and slander, from those who pull us away from doing Your will, from those who keep us flesh conscious rather than spirit conscious. We want to be promoters of unity not sowers of discord. 

 

Forgive us for the damage we have caused others when we have not used our tongue to bring life.

(Rom. 1:29, 2 Peter 3:9, 2 Cor. 5:20, Prov. 20:19, 2 Thess. 3:11, 1 Cor. 15:33, Psalm 133:1, Prov. 6:14, Psalm 34:13, Prov. 18:21)