With all the things going on in the world today, it seems as though many are confident they are in a position to throw stones at each other. In light of that, I was pondering the following:
John 8: 6b-7, “But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground. But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up, and said to them, ‘He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.’” (NASB)
It is estimated to be in the early 1900s the newspaper The Times put a question out to writers asking, “What’s wrong with the world today?” G.K. Chesterton responded, “Dear Sir, I am. Yours, G.K. Chesterton.” Can you imagine if this question was asked today? I suspect whatever media outlet would be so bold to ask would not even be able to deal with all the answers. Aside from all the typical issues that we could have come up with a year ago, there are even greater issues one can think of right now. What does this all boil down to? Division.
Now I am certainly not saying to ignore the truth or your convictions that align with the truth, but people have drawn lines based on opinions or ideas that do not correspond with reality. These lines then become a matter of strong conviction and ego that people are unwilling to budge from. Consider this, it is a sunny day outside with just a very few light clouds in the far distance, and you and I have plans to go outside and enjoy the weather together. The weather forecast is for a nice day. We stand at the door looking outside and I say, “It is too bad that it is cloudy and looks like a storm is rolling in. Better stay inside.” You try to reason with me, but I refuse to listen arguing that there were days like this where it did storm and today may be one of those days. I may well be right about this past event, but does this correspond with reality? Is it reasonable to hold to this position now given the truth of the facts before us? No, of course not.
Unfortunately, it seems to be more and more the case that people not only hold to irrational opinions, but they view those who disagree with them to be unloving or aggressive towards them. It seems the idea of respectful discourse has been cast to the wayside. Love seems to equal acceptance. Every parent knows that you certainly can love your children while not accepting all they do. I know it stings to have to admit I was wrong, or that I was completely offside, but the reality is we have all been there. Now, the height of what it seems like is occurring now is people are holding to the tenants of what they feel is the case or correct even in the face of evidence to the contrary. Now more than ever though, people are not satisfied with being allowed to have their opinion, or even to expect an endorsement from others, but now detractors have decisive, even aggressive action taken towards them.
This brings me to question why? How is such action furthering one’s goal, thought, or cause? It only seems to foster division. People are happy to throw stones all over the place in the name of what they think to be good and right. This brings me to the verse at the top. Jesus was once faced with an angry mob ready to stone a woman, as the story goes. He indicated to the men there that the one who was standing among them who was without sin should cast the first stone. There was only one that stood there who was without sin, and he had thrown down the challenge. I know I am certainly not without sin. It is because of this that I need a Savior.
