For a couple of weeks now, I have been getting the same message. All from different sources that are unrelated. And that's how I know this is what I am meant to write today....
The kids and I were sitting down to dinner the other night and Isaac started a conversation about adultery and how it's wrong, He went on to say that he heard somewhere that in the old days people were stoned to death for that. I said that was true, but although other people's sin can sometimes hurt us or anger us or make us feel judgmental towards them, Jesus calls us to forgive. He calls us to look at our own sin and see that we have our own junk that we need forgiven for, and to be humbled by that and let go of our judgment..
The whole conversation opened the door for me to tell him about the story in the Bible where a woman was caught in the act of adultery. She was brought to Jesus and made to stand before Him and the teachers and Pharisees. They reminded Jesus that the law said that they were to stone her, then they asked Him what He would say they should do. Jesus bent down and started writing in the dirt with His finger. The men kept questioning Him. Jesus stood up and said, "Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her." Then He bent down again and continued writing in the dirt with His finger. Some think that He was writing the mens' names or maybe writing down their sins in the dirt and dust on the ground. The Bible doesn't say what He wrote, we can only imagine. At this point, one by one, the men started walking away, beginning with the oldest in the group. Only Jesus was left with the woman standing there before Him. Jesus stood up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" "No, Lord." she said. "Neither do I. Go and sin no more."
This is a huge deal. He didn't say, "Those of you who have never committed adultery may throw the first stone at her." He asked those who were WITHOUT SIN to throw the first stone. Without sin. Like which of them had never broken the speed limit on their donkey? Or which of them had never lied, or cheated on their taxes, or.......fill in the blank. NOT ONE of her accusers was left standing. We all have junk. We have no right to judge and condemn anyone. When faced with the temptation to do so, we need to remember that we are not perfect either, drop our stones, and walk away. Give them grace like we have been given grace.
Forgiveness and grace is not only for others. It is for ourselves. For our shortcomings and failures and flaws. Too often we forget that forgiving ourselves is also important. We overlook it and for some reason tend to bury the fact that we are ashamed of ourselves or embarrassed that we have messed up, or we can't believe we ever did or thought XY and Z...
There is an old story of a farmer who raised prize winning roosters. He had a very special one, who had won him more ribbons than any of the others, and he pampered that rooster. This farmer also had a son who he loved very much. On his son's 16th birthday, the farmer surprised him with a beautiful brand new red convertible. The son was so excited that he wanted to go out right away and drive the car around town and show it to all of his friends. The farmer agreed to let him go, as long as he promised to be home before dark. The son agreed. Before he knew it, the sun was going down and the son remembered the promise he had made his father about being home before dark. He rushed home, thinking he could make it on time if he hurried. He raced down his road and the tires kicked up dust as he rounded the bend through the gate...when in front of him out of nowhere strutted the prized rooster. He couldn't stop in time and hit and killed the rooster. His father saw it all from the front porch. The son, sobbing and feeling horrible for what he had done in his recklessness, picked up the dead rooster and carried it to his father, begging forgiveness and repeating over and over again how sorry he was. The farmer told the son how disappointed he was in him, but that he forgave him and told him to go to the barn and get the shovel and bury the rooster under the shade tree out front. A couple of days later, after continuing to beat himself up over what he had done, the son was so upset that he dug up the rooster and brought it to his father, bugs and all, and begged his forgiveness again. The father comforted the son and told him again that he had already forgiven him and told him to go back and bury the rooster. Three more times over the course of the next week or two, the son dug up the rooster, took it to his father crying, and begged for his forgiveness. Each time, the father patiently told his son that he had already forgiven him, and to go back and bury the rooster.
How many times do we dig up our roosters and ask God to forgive us? Or we just dig up the rooster and sit there crying over it and think to ourselves how horrible we have been, or what a terrible thing we have done or not done, said, thought....? Bury your roosters and quit digging them up. Drop your stones. Accept grace and forgiveness and offer the same to others. Be blessed and be a blessing!
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