Category: My Turning Points

One of the most well-known words of Jesus in scriptures are “He who is without sin, caste the first stone.” The story that led to that poignant moment in history and the consequence it inspired is packed with lessons. For anyone seeking to become the best person they can be, these lessons cry out for serious and authentic personal introspection.

I thought it would be a good experience for my readers to explore the thoughts that follow and discover value as they have for me.

For context, I offer these two translations to remind us of the story.

John 8:1-9 Living Bible

8 Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, ² but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and talked to them. ³ As he was speaking, the Jewish leaders and Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery and placed her out in front of the staring crowd.

⁴ “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the very act of adultery. ⁵ Moses’ law says to kill her. What about it?”

⁶ They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. ⁷ They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, hurl the stones at her until she dies. But only he who never sinned may throw the first!”

⁸ Then he stooped down again and wrote some more in the dust. ⁹ And the Jewish leaders slipped away one by one, beginning with the eldest, until only Jesus was left in front of the crowd with the woman.

John 8:1-9 The Message

To Throw the Stone

 8 ^1-2 Jesus went across to Mount Olives, but he was soon back in the Temple again. Swarms of people came to him. He sat down and taught them.

^3-6 The religion scholars and Pharisees led in a woman who had been caught in an act of adultery. They stood her in plain sight of everyone and said, “Teacher, this woman was caught red-handed in the act of adultery. Moses, in the Law, gives orders to stone such persons. What do you say?” They were trying to trap him into saying something incriminating so they could bring charges against him.

^6-8 Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger in the dirt. They kept at him, badgering him. He straightened up and said, “The sinless one among you, go first: Throw the stone.” Bending down again, he wrote some more in the dirt.

^9-10 Hearing that, they walked away, one after another, beginning with the oldest.

As I read these and other translations, nuances of the scene come into view. I see the spiritual leaders of the time, much like the politicians of today. They had the law as a weapon to use to meet their ends. In this case, the ends they were aiming for was to discredit Jesus who they saw as a threat. They were using the woman as their pawn to trap Jesus. I ask myself; do I fall into such a trap as these leaders did? I wonder what these people would have done with their stones if Jesus was not in the picture? Would they have stoned her?

I need to understand and know “what are my stones?” And what are the circumstances that would make me think that I am justified in throwing them? My first impulse is to see my stones as possible judgements that may arise from prejudices I have not yet purged.

1 Corinthians 10:23 New International Version

The Believer’s Freedom

 ²³ “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive.

The stones we humans gather find justification in the sentiment expressed in these words from Paul who was an attorney by education and profession in his previous “career”. The excuse that whatever I choose to do is permitted by law, hence my actions regardless of effect on others is acceptable and is justified in my “stone throwing”. Now Paul makes it clear that though some actions are legal under the law, they are not beneficial or constructive for our journey to love one another as we have been loved.

This ushers in the thought that Jesus, as the paragon of human behavior that God hopes we would aspire, gave us a standard to use in our lives. Jesus in His last moments uttered two very telling statements relative to our “stones”.

Luke 23:34 New King James Version

 ³⁴ Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”

For all the years I have read these words I ascribed them directed to the soldiers who were carrying out the crucifixion orders of Pilot. But considering the stones story, I wonder if Jesus’ request for His Father’s forgiveness was meant not only for the soldiers but also the Jewish leaders and the crowd of onlookers assembled for the sheer pleasure of the crucifixion spectacle.  

The thought of Jesus asking for His Father to forgive me brings the sweet sound of my stones dropping to the pavement. The thought of that which followed this moment on cross ought inspire deliberate release of the stones I may still grip.

After the crowd’s taunting Jesus in His agony, the unrepentant thief at Jesus side joins the taunting initiated by the crowd. The other thief rebukes his counterpart and acknowledges Jesus as Lord. Then a gracious Jesus hears his plea and despite suffering insufferable agony he summons sufficient strength to give the thief hope.

Luke 23:42-43 New King James Version

⁴² Then he said ^to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” ⁴³ And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

The love of Jesus instantly responds to the authentic repentance of the thief at His side with absolution. Jesus promise to the thief is also for those willing to repent their sin and accept the grace of Jesus. The sweet sounds of stones falling to the pavement and the repentant heart opens the way for our salvation.

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TURNING POINTS

The perception these revisited scriptures can inspire in me will hopefully open a more detailed introspection into my life. With a renewed vision of my prejudices and the work I have before me to drop them as stones will bring me closer to becoming transformed into the image of Jesus. I hope that it will be said for you as well.

 

 

 

I was driving on highway 78 going to church with my wife Carol on a wet Wednesday evening through intermittent heavy squalls. The rain had just stopped, and I eased the car back up to freeway speed when suddenly the car seemed to raise up off the wet road. It began to spin, rotating out of control across three lanes of heavy traffic. My wife screamed “We’re going to crash!” as I silently sat frozen in utter fear. The car was out of control, spinning at will across the rain slick highway. Cars coming into view ever so briefly and disappearing only to return to view as the scenes repeatedly flashed before me. Finally, the car straightened out in a backward trajectory, the rear end of the car careened headlong over the low embankment that edged a 60-foot-deep chasm. As the car began to slide over the edge into the awaiting abyss the car came to an abrupt stop, teetering on the precipice. In total shock I said to Carol, “Don’t move, or we’re going over this cliff!” We sat for what seemed like forever, frozen in our seats, fearing the slightest movement that would send us over the edge and wondering – What now?

I was a minister and was scheduled to conduct the Wednesday evening service in our Vista church some 29 miles north of our home in San Diego. Prior to dinner, I told my wife that we’d better leave earlier than usual as the storm raging outside might get worse and I didn’t want to be late.

As we made our way up the freeway, the intensity of the rain and wind was vacillating wildly and at times overwhelming the windshield wipers forcing me to slow to 15 miles an hour. The terrible weather created heavier than normal traffic. The storm was causing the highway speed to vary as torrential waves of rain and wind assaulted the road. Cautiously we proceeded northward with little conversation as I concentrated on the ever-changing road conditions.

At about three miles from our destination, a torrential squall passed and I slowly increased speed. Without warning everything changed. The car hit a large accumulation of water on the road and the vehicle began to hydroplane spinning out of control across the three lanes of heavy traffic.

The car, now rocking ever so slightly on the precipice of the roadside berm threatened an impending disaster. We were in a very precarious situation. The slightest change in balance and we were going down the embankment. To make matters worse, we had no idea how deep the chasm was that yawned behind us.

Suddenly there was a knock on the passenger side window. I opened the window.

A man excitedly said, “I just witnessed three miracles! Are you okay?”

Still in shock I said, “Yes, we’re OK but we’re fearing going over the edge.”

“I’m a tow truck driver and I was driving behind you. It’s a miracle you didn’t get hit or hit someone else or go over the side. I’ll get a hook to stabilize your car. Don’t move! I’ve alerted the highway patrol.”

We gratefully sat quietly not so much as making a move. I wondered now; how did this man follow us across the heavy traffic to rescue us?

The driver quickly hooked up our car just as the highway patrol officer arrived. The officer assessed the situation and, convinced the car was stable, opened the passenger side door and pulled Carol out.

Thinking I could get out on my side, I opened my door slightly and looked down staring into the abyss. I immediately realized that there was no way out of the car on my side.

The officer then reached in, grabbed my hand and pulled me across the seat and out the door. That’s when I realized just what the tow truck driver meant when he said he witnessed three miracles.

The scene was surreal. Behind the tow truck was the highway patrol car, lights flashing brightly. Behind the police cruiser there was another tow truck and an ambulance with its lights flashing. As I took in the scene, a million questions flashed through my mind. Before I could ask, the rain started up again and the officer shuffled Carol and me into the back seat of his cruiser.

I rolled down the window enough the ask the officer, “What going on with all these other vehicles?”

He said, “The tow truck that secured you car already had a vehicle in tow and had to leave. We summoned another tow truck but just after your accident another car came careening into the back of the second tow truck that was here for you. The ambulance is here for that driver. We are now awaiting the arrival of a third tow truck to get your car out.”

Sitting in the cruiser, Carol and I thanked God for His grace in keeping us safe through this harrowing experience.

It seemed like forever for the third tow truck to arrive. By this time the rain had ceased, and I got out to see what damage my car had sustained. There was no obvious damage to the car’s exterior, but I feared the worst for the undercarriage.

When the tow truck arrived, the driver moved quickly to secure a winch line to our car and slowly eased it off the berm and onto the shoulder of the highway. He hooked up the car and looked at the undercarriage and surprisingly noted that there was no damage! This had to be a fourth miracle.

After thanking the police officer for his kind assistance, Carol and I entered the tow truck cab and we drove to a nearby gas station. The driver took our information and lowered the car, declaring it was undamaged and safe to drive.

I drove to church, arriving now twenty minutes after the normal conclusion of the service. There to greet us was the congregation’s priest and deacon. They told us that since I had a reputation of being at church no later than thirty minutes prior to the service start time, they knew something was wrong. The two of them prayed together for our safety and God’s protection over us.

At that moment, I quickly calculated that their prayer was precisely the moment we began our harrowing experience on the highway.

We shared our story and rejoiced together in humble but profound thanksgiving for the protecting hand of God and His immediate answer to our prayers.

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