Judge Not, Lest You Be Judged

I love the story in the Bible where Christ tells the crowd who are about to stone the woman "whoever is without sin, cast the first stone".  It's funny.  How many times have I not only threatened to throw a stone at someone (more verbally than physically), but have actually taken those judgement sized stones and with full force hit someone right between the eyes.  I know that even tonight as I sat and had dinner with a friend, that the conversation turned to my judgments being thrown at various people we knew.  Gossip is such a form of stone throwing and it's so easy to get caught up with the crowds opinion, when all God asks us to do is to listen to Him.

I have a tattoo on my right hand.  1T411.  This stands for First Thessalonians 4:11.  "Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, working with your hands, minding you own business."  Sometimes I forget, even with that so clearly on my body that God is always listening and wanting me to slow down, to find Him and see the real picture in the story above.

Christ wasn't telling the crowd to stop from stoning this woman.  He was telling the woman that He loved her and she was SAFE in His presence.  I wonder if any in the crowd realized that they were the same as this prostitute, this whore - that their sins were just as dirty and unclean.  I wonder if any of them longed to be in her place.  Safe in His Presence!