Holding your Stone

Now that’s a weird title, isn’t it?

Let me explain (obviously you knew I would)…

I’m reading a book right now that has some good stuff in it and the author talked about a Bible verse in John that I’ll drop next.

Here’s the thing – I LOVED his point, but when I went to the Bible, it doesn’t say what he said it says (is that even a proper English sentence?). I was a bit disappointed, but it also got me thinking. Bible verse and then I’ll explain.

 ³ The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst⁴ they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. ⁵ Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” ⁶ This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. 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 8:3-11

So the Pharisees bring a woman who had sinned to Jesus and asked if they can stone her as they have the right according to the law. Jesus being, you know the Son of God, gives that “mic drop” answer. “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” All the people that were ready to throw stones slowly walk away.

The author states this “all the Pharisees drop their stones” and I was struck by his statement. He is talking about anger and our right to hold on to it (he is making the point in the whole book that we don’t have the right to hold on). In this parable (story? I don’t like using “story” with the Bible… me issue), they feel they are carrying out God’s justice. They had anger for the right reason – she sinned, the law says to stone her, end of story.

But here’s the thing. The verses don’t say they dropped their stones. They did walk away. But we don’t know if they dropped them.

However, I’m still struck by this thought. If they walked away holding on to their stones (which, let’s get real, is more likely seeing as they hated Jesus and were trying to trick him), then they still had the anger. BUT if they dropped them, think of how much lighter their load was.

And that is what I was caught thinking about all day. What stone am I holding on to? How many stones am I holding on to? What a relief it would be to let go and let God. I want to hold on to my anger, my “Holy righteousness”, my vengeance. But when I let go of it, when I drop it to the ground and hear that thud… because you know it’s not a little stone, it’s a big heavy one filled with so much emotion… I can walk easier. I have more room for God to come in and help me move forward. I can put my trust in him that he will take care of it for I can not trust my own judgment.

So let go of your stone. Drop it to the ground. Place it at the throne. Ask God to help you loosen the grip you have of it. Do whatever it takes, and then ask God to give you wisdom and to direct your path. Trust he will fight your battles.