Seeking The Right?

There was a four-year-old boy walking to the car with his mother following Bible class who said, "Mom, I'm not going to sin anymore." The mother was joyful to hear such a statement from her son, but she wondered what might have prompted it. Her child's response was, "Jesus said if you don't sin, you can throw the first stone, and I want to throw the first stone." [adapted from bulletin clipping]

There is something about throwing stones that seems to delight children; especially boys. I can remember a time in my younger years when I was actually prohibited from picking up any rocks at all so as to keep me from throwing them. However, gaining "the right" to throw stones was not what Jesus was attempting to emphasize in the account of the woman who had been caught in the act of adultery ( John 8), and we need to mature toward that proper understanding.

Noting the latter part of the text we read. . .
"(7) And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, 'Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.' (8) And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. (9) But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. (10) Jesus stood up and said to her, 'Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?' (11) She said, 'No one, Lord.' And Jesus said, 'NEITHER DO I CONDEMN YOU; GO, AND FROM NOW ON SIN NO MORE.'" ( John 8:7-11 ESV)

We should remember the only One Who was there Who was without sin -- and therefore had "the right" to throw the first stone -- did not pick any up. Jesus did not condemn, but neither did he condone. Instead, He urged her to leave sin behind.
If our aim is to be Christ-like, what should be the motivation of our own actions? Peter urged toward LOVING earnestly because love covers a multitude of sins. ( 1 Peter 4:8) By leaving the stones on the ground we have hands left free to EMBRACE and help LIFT others up from the sins that would weigh them down as we also encourage them to leave those sins behind. May we COMPASSIONATELY and MERCIFULLY follow the example of Jesus as we humbly recognizing we also have our own challenge with sin.

Have a great day RIGHTLY FOLLOWING IN THE STEPS OF JESUS!
Carl

See other teEn-MAIL on Attitudes