“Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” And once more He bent down and wrote on the ground. 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.
John 8:7b-9
Although there is some conjecture that this event in John’s gospel was added later to the manuscripts, the account of the woman caught in adultery has a wealth of spiritual truths. For me, these verses, along with Luke 7:36-50, have been integral lessons pushing back on my judgmental flesh, reminding me that I have been forgiven much—so I must love much. That I am a sinner too, deserving of God’s justice (no matter how I, or the world, try to “scale” sins)…but for the grace of Jesus, I get mercy and not justice.
In fact, almost two decades ago, as part of my tattoo testimony in response to a life crisis that only the Lord could bring me through, I have “grace” and “mercy” permanently written on my wrists. The point is to constantly remind me to extend to others the grace and mercy (and forgiveness and love) that God has extended to me. But these words were actually my second choice of ink. My initial thought was a simple three-word reminder from the adulterous woman’s story: Drop the rock.
To be completely transparent, my Christian walk has tended to lean a little more “truth” than “grace”—which can be dangerous and pharisaical. (As a short analysis, I believe this is because I came to Christ after years of New Age philosophy, where Satan loves to take a smidge of God’s truth and twist it enough to deeply deceive…so I can be extremely protective of what God actually said versus tricky or even “creative” variations. There’s a lot to say here, but it’s a digression for another time.) Praise the Lord, as I’ve gotten older in my faith—and am part of a church body that beautifully and authentically embraces God’s Word and God’s desire for “all” to know Him—my truth-and-grace ratio is continually coming more and more into balance.
Again, there’s so much in John’s adulterous woman account to teach, convict, and change us. But it was a little phrase within verse 9 that the Holy Spirit used as a sweet reminder about the Christian sanctification journey: “beginning with the older ones.” Oh, friend, there’s a lot about getting older that is not fun, for sure…but our maturity in Christ—our becoming more and more like Him as we get closer to Home—is wonderfully miraculous. And a bit ironic. See, it should be true that the longer we walk with the Lord, the more we put on the qualities of Christ and take off our fleshly qualities. The Apostle Paul has a lot to say about this in his epistles. But it’s also true that we will recognize our sins much quicker…and be much more frustrated about sinning! Again, see Paul’s lament in Romans 7 as to this accelerating dilemma.
Aren’t you so thankful for this? See, as long as we’re in this fallen body of ours walking through this fallen world, we will all fall short. But we are, in fact, moving “from glory to glory” by the power of the Holy Spirit living in us (2 Corinthians 3:17-18)! So, while we may still pick up a rock now and then, poised to throw it at a “sinner” who we perceive as “more sinful” than us, may we quickly drop it and walk away in repentance. And, beloved, let’s never forget that we were spared the fatal pelting of rocks we deserved…and that, instead of God dropping them, He allowed His Son to take the blows on our behalf.
Oh, Lord, forgive me for picking up rocks as if I am judge, jury, and executioner. Remind me how You took the rocks for me, and keep my hands open to extend love, grace, and mercy to others.
encouraged by grace 