Walk Away

I have to come back to the topic from the last post as I had one more thought as I went over it that day. It’s about this one verse.

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.

John 8:9

I noticed that as they went away, John notes that it started with the older ones. It wan’t something I noticed before and I was struck by it.

Of course the older ones would walk away first. They had wisdom from their lives to know quicker to let it go. What they had wanted to do was not worth them standing there any longer in debating or holding on to the anger they had. While they originally were swept up in the crowd, the moment, their righteousness, they realized quicker that in the in grand scheme of things, what this woman had done wasn’t worth the battle.

I’m sure part of it was also that they understood quicker Jesus’ words about let the first of you with no sin throw your stone. They had lived a life of trying to follow the laws. They knew how many times they had slipped off the path. They knew how many times they might have been the one dragged to this courtyard to be stoned.

If you’re older, like me, you get that. Maybe you’re opinionated and do have trouble giving up your stand (like me at times). But the closer I walk with God, the easier it is for me to walk away. To lay down that stone and go home to cook dinner. To thank God for his forgiveness of my past and for sending his son to die for us.

When I was younger though, I would have been standing there longer clutching my stone. I would not have been the first person to throw, but I would have held out for a bit. I probably wouldn’t have even dropped my stone because I am that person that could hold onto anger and hurt for some time. Heck, it’s still something I struggle with but not nearly as long.

How quickly would you walk away? Would have always been quick no matter young or old? Do you still struggle to walk away? For me there are certain situations that are harder, but I can hear that still quiet voice inside me telling me to walk away. I’m getting quicker. I keep praying that He keeps helping me be like those older ones and walk away.