Casting Stones

Sin. What is the meaning behind this word?

Webster’s Dictionary defines it as: a vitiated state of human nature in which the self is estranged from God.

We as believers, and even non-believers are all sinners. We all sin every day.

Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

Why is this what I want to write about today? Recently a young man spoke at my church about the Love of Jesus and what if we were to live our lives with the exact love and responses He lived with? Wow…think about it. That is deep. Jesus never sinned. Jesus never condemned. He simply loved.

He referenced one of my favorite parables from John chapter 8. A woman was caught in the act of adultery. She was brought before Jesus, probably naked and unclothed and thrown before Him on the ground. Jesus was then told of her acts and asked what would He say to do? The law said she should be stoned for her “sin”.

Jesus’s famous quote in verse 7, He responds saying “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.” After all of her accusers began to leave, Jesus then asks the woman “Where are your accusers? Has no one condemned you?” And she says “No one sir.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I.”

WOW! That is so rich and deep.

The speaker at my church said imagine in today’s church if we were sitting in our seats and this very scene played out before our eyes. A woman caught in the act, brought before us all, ashamed, naked for all to see, waiting to be judged….

How would we as a church respond?

This brought tears streaming down my face…

I remember when I found out I was pregnant with my son at the age of 20. I can count the number of people who did not condemn nor judge me on one hand. For a time even my own family turned their backs on me. I became homeless. There were days I didn’t even have food to eat. I slept from people’s couches to couches. People in my church looked down on me. As I began to show more and more as my pregnancy progressed I felt like I was marked with a scarlet letter. I remember in my mind crying out wanting to yell at all of them, how dare you judge my sin because it is not hidden from the human eyes. It is no different than the sin you commit in secret. I remember clinging to this parable thinking, how was the man not judged and only the woman as I was in the same situation. The father of my baby went on with life not having to suffer what I did as my belly grew bigger and bigger…

Now as time went on, the Lord did bring restoration and redemption to my life and relationships and people did begin to stand up and help me…but not initially.

I wonder how different things would have been if instead I was received in love. If people said we do not condone your sin but we do not condemn you nor your child. As scripture I quoted earlier states, we ALL sin. Every single one of us.

I have a huge heart for people in Hollywood. One of the greatest things that breaks my heart is tabloids exploiting famous people and their “sins”.

The speaker at my church is from LA so he even touched on this. My husband I thought would have to hold me down, as I wanted to jump up and down shouting “Amen, preach it brother.”

Why is it so easy for people to look at famous people or even non-famous people and cast stones? The speaker used examples like: “Look at what Beyoncé was wearing”…stones cast. “Did you hear who got so and so pregnant?”…stones cast. “Look who just got sent to rehab.”…stones cast.

Who do we think we are that we have the audacity to judge or condemn anyone?

What if today you decide to be the person to start a change in your neighborhood, school, church, etc.? What if you decide to stand up and clothe that naked person, to love them, to sit with them? To show them Jesus?

Why does it sound so easy, yet so few accept the call?

My prayer and challenge for all today…stop condemning. Look at your own life. Don’t judge someone for sinning different than you do. Instead love them like Jesus. Be the change this world needs. It can start with one single person. Who knows…that person you choose to love like Jesus did, may turn out to be the next Billy Graham.

Blessings all!