Becoming a Stone Dropper

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

When they persisted in questioning Him, He stood up and said to them, “The one without sin among you should be the first to throw a stone at her.” John 8:7 (HCSB)
Imagine with me the scene that day. A woman has been caught in the act of adultery. In biblical times, it’s a crime punishable by death—death by stoning. The men and women drag her into the public square. I can hear the voices of her accusers, raised in hatred and condemnation.
“You’re nothing but filth.”“You knew what could happen when you made your choice.”“Get rid of her. We can’t have someone like her contaminating our town.” She’s thrown at the feet of a famous teacher, for him to pronounce the death sentence. Why did they bring her to him? Because he’s known for his compassion. By bringing her crime to his attention they can literally kill two birds with one stone. They can get rid of a sinner and either expose him as a liar, or a lawbreaker.
Instead, Jesus introduces them all to the concept of grace.
And He does it without compromising the law or the heart of compassion he’s known for.
Back in the viewpoint of our sinner, I can imagine her laying there at His feet, covering her head with her arms as she tries to make as small a target as possible. Every muscle is tensed, waiting for the first stone from the angry mob.
As the crowd begins to quiet, instead of the sound of stones whistling through the air, she hears the words of the teacher. His pronouncement takes them all by surprise—even her. And I can imagine that the next sounds she hears are the thumps all around her as the stones drop to the ground.
The obvious lesson we learn from this is to extend grace to others. But just as important, we must extend grace to ourselves. When weariness crowds in, the failures also tend to overwhelm us. This is when we need to stop throwing stones at ourselves. I’ve learned to make a conscious effort to drop those stones and be an instrument of grace—even to myself.
*adapted from Soul Care When You're Weary (Bold Vision Books 2019)
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Edie Melson is a woman of faith with ink-stained fingers observing life through the lens of her camera. No matter whether she’s talking to writers, entrepreneurs, or readers, her first advice is always “Find your voice, live your story.” As an author, blogger, and speaker she’s encouraged and challenged audiences across the country and around the world. Her numerous books reflect her passion to help others develop the strength of their God-given gifts and apply them to their lives. Connect with her on her website, through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.