Casting Stones

"So when they continued asking Him, He lifted up Himself and said unto them, 'He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.'"

Most of us are familiar with the story of the woman in the Gospel according to John who was taken in adultery. If you read the background, you will find that the story is more about the plot of the religious leaders to trick Jesus than it is about the woman. But here she is - the focus of a sin that cannot be committed alone, and the center of everyone's attention.

I have no doubt that the crowd was willing to carry out their threats of stoning the woman, and they had every right to do so under the law, but her transgression occurred just in time for Jesus' mercy to be revealed. I am also pretty sure that most of the people in the crowd had no idea what was going on. They were just following. Following out of curiosity. Following without question.

You see, it's easy to follow the crowd in rushing to judgment. It's also very easy to hide behind the law to assassinate another person's character or beliefs, especially if they don't agree with our own. What is hard is listening without criticism or accepting without judgment.

God gives mercy that overshadows condemnation. If your religion does not put mercy ahead of judgment, it's time for you to throw down your stone.