Stone thrower or stone dropper?

You see person curse out the cashier at the grocery store and

you automatically make a judgment call.

You turn your nose up at the man with dirty shoes and torn up shirt.

You criticize the mother who was just released from prison for beating her child.

Let's face it- we all judge. Does it make it right? No. It reminds me of a story...

John 8:1-11 - "But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. ² Early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people were coming to Him; and He sat down and began to teach them. ³ The scribes and the Pharisees *brought a woman caught in adultery, and having set her in the center of the court, ⁴ they *said to Him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act. ⁵ Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?” ⁶ They were saying this, testing Him, so that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground. ⁷ But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up, and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” ⁸ Again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. ⁹ When they heard it, they began to go out one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman, where she was, in the center of the court. ¹⁰ Straightening up, Jesus said to her, “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?” ¹¹ She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more.”]

I love this story. Watching The Bible miniseries part four, inspired me to write this post. I loved it when the Pharisees began to drop their stones, one by one. Jesus proves the point that no one is worthy to judge, only God. He reminds the Pharisees that they are not perfect, but also sin just like the adulteress.

How often are you holding the stone, ready to throw?

What makes us worthy to judge?

Nothing.

So before we pick up a stone, let's remind ourselves that we, too, are not perfect and have no right to judge anyone.

Let's drop our stones, instead of picking them up.

Don't forget to pray for the unreached people group of the day!