Throwing Stones

 

I've been thinking a lot lately about forgiveness - mostly about who I offer it to and why.

I mean, I want to be forgiven. And I want the people I love to be forgiven. But what about people that I don't think deserve it? What about people who never said they were sorry? What about people who made more than one mistake? Or just one REALLY BIG mistake? Have I been willing to forgive them? Or have I been holding onto unforgiveness and keeping a record of their wrongs?

When the woman caught in the act of adultery was brought to Jesus the men who brought her meant to trap Him in His response - to use His own words against Him.
But He was silent.
They continued to question Him until He broke the silence and hindered their plans.
“Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”
One by one they dropped their stones and walked away.
Now it was Jesus' turn to ask the questions, “"Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”"


How many times have I pointed out someone else's sin while forgetting my own?
How many stones have I thrown?
Looking back at my past I should have been buried by now.

Big sin.
Little sin.
Sin after sin.
It doesn't matter and it all matters - to Jesus.

We measure. We judge. We justify.
Well at least I'm not as bad as so-and-so...

Jesus told the story of two men - one a religious man and the other a tax collector (sinner) who went to the temple to pray.
The religious man thanked God that he wasn't like all the others (sinners) and boasted about all the "good" he had done.

But the tax collector stood at a distance unable to even look towards heaven and pleaded "God have mercy on me a sinner."

“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
Luke 18:14 NIV


Lord help me to be humble. Help me to offer the same grace to others that you poured out for me.
Grace upon grace.
We desperately need it. And others desperately need it from us.
But grace isn't earned, it's a gift.

Let's not forget Jesus' lasts words after pardoning the woman who had sinned - "Go now and leave your life of sin.”

Offering grace isn't condoning or overlooking sin it's offering another chance at redemption.

Most of us need another chance. And another. And another.
Thank you for forgiveness, for grace and for redemption Lord.
We'd all be lost without it.

Are you throwing stones or pouring out grace from an overflowing pitcher?

Might be something we all need to pray about...