My First Stone

I mentioned in an earlier post that I always have a rock in my pocket. It is called the First Stone. It was given to me by a dear friend who thought I needed to hear this:

John 8:3-11
3The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" 6They 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. 7When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." 8Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9At 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. 10Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" 11"No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."

Until I can cast the first stone. Until I can be the one without sin. Until I can be in that position I have no right to be judgmental. I carry it in my pocket to remind myself that I am not the one who judges others. It is not my job. There are times that I am kneeling down grasping that rock in my hand asking God to help me, to forgive me and to have mercy on me once again.

I don't go on with my day until I can drop the rock on the ground.

This verse really speaks to me on many levels. I also see that it was the older ones who left first followed by the younger ones. The older ones were wiser and "got it" first. But that is an entirely different post on the Titus principle...