Why Withholding Stones? There is a story in the bible that tells of a woman caught in adultery. The religious leaders brought her to Jesus to see if he would agree for her to be stoned; according to Jewish law. However, Jesus' response leaves them all speechless: "He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." Instead of throwing stones to kill her; amazingly they withheld them realizing their sin united them. Her sin is obvious, however the emphasis is the opportunity for her redemption. What the religious leaders meant for her harm; Jesus turned into an opportunity to heal her heart.
About 6 years ago, while living in Pasadena, I was going to school and volunteering at a recovery home for women. Many of the women were former prostitutes. I spent a lot of my time listening to their stories. Serving and loving these women transformed my life. It made me realize that in a broken state, we respond to life in broken ways, no matter what our story looks like. Serving the women made me realize our unity. The lust that lured me into one failed relationship after the other in my own life damaged my heart like it did theirs. I responded to life based on the pain my choices created. We each had a past that made shame linger. Beside our sin uniting us, so did the powerful love and forgiveness of our Father God through Jesus our Savior. Withholding stones has the power to transform lives as it did to the woman caught in adultery and as it did for me.
As we are challenged in our habits of stone throwing like gossip, condemnation and judgment, allowing our hearts and minds to be transformed, we see how united we are in our suffering. Relationships are transformed. Mindsets are challenged. Love is easier and people are healed.
I am writing to challenge you and me. I have made a decision to be as vulnerable as necessary in my posts to get the message across. I will write about subjects that push the envelope of comfort. I may offend you or make you blush at my material. However, what I am committed to do is unite us in our brokenness, that when surrendered leads us to a new and fulfilling life. To encourage grace rather than stone throwing. I do not claim to be perfect at withholding stones, but what I am committed to do is allow myself to be accountable and continually transformed by the renewing of my mind and heart.
(scripture reference: John 8)