Step Away From The Stones

 I am reading a book, “Everybody’s Normal Till You Get To Know Them” by John Ortberg.  Yeah.  Cool title!  He starts out with everybody’s weird.  Well news flash! I always knew that.  I call my weird being “unique”. 🤣 I digress…

Chapter 5 is based on the woman caught in the act of adultery in John 8:3-7. But the sentence that pricked my heart was on page 95. “Why do churches produce so many stone throwers?” Back in the Old Testament, the law (in Leviticus and Deuteronomy), the punishment for sins was to throw stones at the sinner until they were dead. Commit adultery - stone them. Worship another god - stone them. Rebellious child - stone them. Will not heed the priest, has cursed God, or built idols - dead, dead, and, you guessed it D E A D.  I’m sure if we were still under the law a few of us would not have made it this far. 

So why am I bringing this up now? Weeeellllllll. Here’s the thing. We’re still throwing stones. At the very least we’ve got the stone in our hand tossing it up and down. Getting ready to let’r rip when we get incensed or feel the need. I can hear your shock. WHAT! This doesn’t happen!!!

Let’s consider the following scenarios. 

 At the church picnic, Sis so and so got her blue ribbon cake upstaged by Sis newbie’s pedestrian cake. Sis so and so, nose out of joint, goes about tearing down Sis newbie’s cake and appearance and anything else she can think of to “put her in her place.” Stones!!

Bro. Q was told in confidence that Bro. Z was seeing a mental health provider. Bro. Q, when asked about Bro. Z’s capabilities for a position, instead of just giving the facts about Bro. Z’s abilities, he bellies up all the details of what Bro. Z told him. To make it interesting he adds a little supposition. Stones!!

Someone different comes to church. People ignore them and some even say we don’t want their type here. Or they can never be saved. Stones!!

We throw stones destroying other people’s confidence, reputation, and lives. We justify our stones that hurt because we were hurt. Or we want someone to have the whole picture, as we see it. Or we are uncomfortable around someone we see as different. Do you see the trend here? We base what we say and do on our view point. 

What we must do is make ourselves put down the stones and view every situation through the eyes of compassion. God’s compassion! As explained in Colossians 3:12 - 13, it says “ as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, long suffering; bearing with one another and forgiving one another…” If need be, put your hand over your mouth.  Talk about the weather. Put down the stone and walk away free. Free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:2) For we know,  if we are made free in Christ, we are free indeed and in deed!