Throwing Stones
John 8:2-11 (NIV)
At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. 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, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
“No one, sir,” she said.
“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
Reflection
The other day, my wife and I were watching the television show, “The Voice,” listening to singers belt out various cover songs in an attempt to out-sing the competition. Most performances were pretty good and some were not so good. All were judged by a successful professional musician to determine which contestants advanced through the competition. Contestants were also judged by me, (and probably most everyone watching the show.)
While I can carry a tune, I have never recorded an album or sold out a concert venue. I’m not qualified whatsoever to judge contestants on “The Voice,” yet this does not stop me from weighing in from my living room couch.
“Oooooo, bad song selection for that guy. It is waaaay out of his range.”
“Wow, she is a star! That was incredible!”
Or even, “I may not be a great singer, but I am surely better than THAT guy. He has no business singing on television.”
“The Voice” also allows viewers to vote for their favorite singers and actually serve as the judges. It is no wonder shows like this are so popular. We all love to judge, especially if there is no hardship associated with earning the qualification to be a judge. Judgment of others, for some reason, makes us feel better about ourselves.
The same was true back when this crowd began to gather stones to execute their own grim judgment. The act of stoning was a harsh penalty in Jewish law to discourage the act of adultery. The sentence for the woman’s sins was death. Jesus pointed out the reality, though, that everyone in the crowd holding stones was likewise sentenced to die in their own sins. And so are we.
Outside of faith in Jesus’ sinless sacrifice on the cross, every person reading (and writing) this devotion has a death sentence based upon sins we’ve committed against our holy Creator. We have all fallen short, yet are so quick to pick up our own stones of judgment to throw in an attempt to build ourselves up by belittling, demeaning, or dominating others.
Jesus knew the hearts of the mob ready to execute the accused woman. When confronted by the reality of their own sins — their own death sentence — the crowd dispersed. No one threw a stone. Because all were sinners and not one in the mob was qualified to judge the sins of another. Are you?
Action Steps
1. Do you find yourself regularly judging others? Why? Dig deep in self-reflection the next time you judge someone. Honestly determine what it reveals about yourself.
2. Then, rather than judge, try to view the other person with the compassion of Jesus. Consider how those differing responses impact your own faith journey and world view.
Prayer
Lord, help me to have a heart of compassion for my fellow sinners. In place of judgment, frustration, and a feeling of superiority, help me to humbly love others as You would have me love them. Help me to serve others as You would have me serve. Help me to view others, also Your creation, through Your eyes, Lord. Let Your grace and mercy flow through me in my dealings with others so they will see You in my life. Amen.
At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. 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, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
“No one, sir,” she said.
“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
Reflection
The other day, my wife and I were watching the television show, “The Voice,” listening to singers belt out various cover songs in an attempt to out-sing the competition. Most performances were pretty good and some were not so good. All were judged by a successful professional musician to determine which contestants advanced through the competition. Contestants were also judged by me, (and probably most everyone watching the show.)
While I can carry a tune, I have never recorded an album or sold out a concert venue. I’m not qualified whatsoever to judge contestants on “The Voice,” yet this does not stop me from weighing in from my living room couch.
“Oooooo, bad song selection for that guy. It is waaaay out of his range.”
“Wow, she is a star! That was incredible!”
Or even, “I may not be a great singer, but I am surely better than THAT guy. He has no business singing on television.”
“The Voice” also allows viewers to vote for their favorite singers and actually serve as the judges. It is no wonder shows like this are so popular. We all love to judge, especially if there is no hardship associated with earning the qualification to be a judge. Judgment of others, for some reason, makes us feel better about ourselves.
The same was true back when this crowd began to gather stones to execute their own grim judgment. The act of stoning was a harsh penalty in Jewish law to discourage the act of adultery. The sentence for the woman’s sins was death. Jesus pointed out the reality, though, that everyone in the crowd holding stones was likewise sentenced to die in their own sins. And so are we.
Outside of faith in Jesus’ sinless sacrifice on the cross, every person reading (and writing) this devotion has a death sentence based upon sins we’ve committed against our holy Creator. We have all fallen short, yet are so quick to pick up our own stones of judgment to throw in an attempt to build ourselves up by belittling, demeaning, or dominating others.
Jesus knew the hearts of the mob ready to execute the accused woman. When confronted by the reality of their own sins — their own death sentence — the crowd dispersed. No one threw a stone. Because all were sinners and not one in the mob was qualified to judge the sins of another. Are you?
Action Steps
1. Do you find yourself regularly judging others? Why? Dig deep in self-reflection the next time you judge someone. Honestly determine what it reveals about yourself.
2. Then, rather than judge, try to view the other person with the compassion of Jesus. Consider how those differing responses impact your own faith journey and world view.
Prayer
Lord, help me to have a heart of compassion for my fellow sinners. In place of judgment, frustration, and a feeling of superiority, help me to humbly love others as You would have me love them. Help me to serve others as You would have me serve. Help me to view others, also Your creation, through Your eyes, Lord. Let Your grace and mercy flow through me in my dealings with others so they will see You in my life. Amen.
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