The Sound of Dropping Rocks

Sharon JaynesAccpting others, Dealing with Your Past, Forgiveness, Living Free, Never Less Than, When You Don't Like Your Story, Women in the Bible 52 Comments

I sat across the table from a broken friend. Her life was scattered on the coffee shop floor like spilled grounds from the bean machine. Melissa (not her real name) had had an affair, and she finally mustered up the courage to tell me the truth. I knew about some of it, but not all of it.

While listening to her through tears, my mind went back to the scene when the Pharisees brought the woman caught in adultery to where Jesus was teaching a crowd.

It was a set up. No doubt about it. The religious leaders had burst into the woman’s home, caught her in the act, and dragged her half-dressed to Jesus. The man she was with, well, they didn’t bother with him.

As they slung her at Jesus’ feet, they posed a question. “In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” (John 8:5). To those looking on, it might appear that Jesus was caught between a rock and a hard place.

But they didn’t realize that since Jesus is the Rock, there is no hard place He can’t handle.

I’m sure it threw them off a bit when Jesus stooped to write in the dirt. Finally, He answered.

“Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her” (John 8:7).

Jesus uncovered their own hearts and left them exposed and spiritually naked before the crowd. Each man standing knew his own life was riddled with sin. The prophet Isaiah, whose writings they knew very well, wrote: “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way” (Isaiah 53:6). For a man to throw a stone and thus imply that he was without sin would have been the greatest heresy of all.

Isn’t it interesting that the only person qualified to throw a stone at the woman is the One who set her free?

It’s easy to smirk at those self-righteous, pious Pharisees and say, “Ha! Take that!” But what about you and me? When is the last time we threw a stone at someone? Maybe not a literal stone, but a stone-hard judgmental attitude tossed someone’s way?

Even the smallest stone of judgement is too heavy for us to carry.

The Pharisees brought the woman to be condemned, but Jesus freed her by extending grace.

The accusers came to Jesus in self-righteous superiority, but they skulked away in self-defeated shame.

The religious leaders put her down like dirt. Jesus looked at her with compassion and lifted her out of it.

The woman caught in adultery stood before Jesus in disgrace but was met with divine grace.

The accusers became the accused. They came feeling “more than,” but that’s not how they left.

Even though there was a crowd watching, Jesus zoomed in on one hurting soul that needed His attention. One woman who felt less than because of her past mistakes and failures…just like you and me.

Maybe you haven’t been caught in the act of adultery. Maybe you have. But we all have pages of our stories that we’d like to rip out, sentences we’d like to block out, and chapters we’d like throw out. Know this sister: The splinter of your story that you hate the most does not define the entire narrative…no matter how bad it is. You are more than your worst pages. Why? Because of grace.

My friend Melissa was heartbroken over her sin, and so was I. But I had to wonder, am I as heartbroken over my own sin? My sins may be different, but they are still sins. Your sins may be different, but they are still sins. And guess what. God’s forgiving grace is greater than all of it.

Melissa asked God to forgive her, and He responded with grace. It’s the same with you and me. John wrote, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

When it comes to God’s forgiveness…His is the stone not thrown. That’s the kind of grace that I want to extend to others. I think you do, too.

Jesus, thank You for Your forgiving grace that takes our place. Help me to extend the same mercy to others that You have extended to me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

If you are grateful for God’s grace in your own life today, leave a comment and a shout out of praise that says, “I’m grateful for God’s grace!”

Digging Deeper

Did you know that Jesus went to great lengths to elevate and esteem the women of His day. In His culture, women were not regarded as people, but possessions (thus the recording of feeding of the 5,000 which were only the men). They were not allowed to testify in court, sit under a Rabbi’s teaching, talk to men in public, enter a room full of men at a gathering, or enter the men’s level of the Temple. In My book, NEVER LESS THAN: Living Esteemed, Empowered, and Equipped When the World Tells You Otherwise looks at every interaction Jesus had with a woman in the New Testament and shows how He broke the cultural rules of His day to set us free.

If you’ve ever felt less than because of your past, your present circumstances, or your gender as a woman then this book is for you! This is a message that your daughters and granddaughters need to hear. It also includes a Bible study guide that is perfect for women’s ministry groups.

Back to school! Back to prayer! Click here for a FREE download of Praying Scripture for Your Child’s Teacher from Head to Toe.

If you’re a grandma, forward this to the mom of your grandkids!




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Comments 52

  1. Thank you Jesus for this timely message, He never ceases to amaze me the exact timing of messages sent straight to my inbox.
    This resonated with me and I was furious just last week over the Christian’s in my life who judge way to harshly, well they judge wrongly too because I can feel the condemnation from it, there is no Grace. Everyone tried to play god and doesn’t allow HIS Holy Spirit to work, it’s as if they don’t trust Him to work through people and they try taking over. Condemning people into action.
    Maybe I’m a bit like it myself. Maybe I need to stop, think and pray before I speak. Listen to others.
    Thank you Sharon and thank you Jesus, for carrying all that I cannot. For taking my shame

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  2. Lord, I’m thankful for your grace! I was trapped by sin, and now I’m free. I was lost, and now I’m found! Thank you for leaving the 99 and rescuing me. I’m forever grateful.

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  4. I’’m so grateful for God’s grace!!!! To be honest, I have wrestled with not forgiving myself and being stuck even when I know God’s grace is more than enough. Then guilt would enter. But the thing is, His love and grace are so vast we can’t even understand. So my Journey of Grace is to offer that to myself and others, borrowing from God as needed, on a daily basis. That’s why I named my coaching business this! Such a transformative word – Grace.

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  18. I’m grateful for God’s Grace!

    Ephesians 2:8-9-“For we have been saved by grace through faith; and it is not of ourselves that no one should boast, but it is the gift of God.”

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  19. Yes! Thank you Jesus for your unmerited grace! I’m so grateful that despite all my sins, my selfish and foolish mistakes that I have made, and will continue to make your forgiving grace is extended to me! Praise Jesus! ✝️❤️

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  25. Thank you so much for this reading this morning! This is the first time I’ve seen anyone address adultery from the adulterer’s side. Thank you for your compassion for your friend! I know all too well the shame and deep guilt she feels from her actions. But to be able to know she has someone she could turn to, to confess to aloud, that would have compassion on her and be able to get her through the shame and guilt is invaluable. Assuring her that Jesus forgives her. It’s not easy to forgive oneself, and knowing there is someone out there who can show compassion and forgiveness like Jesus is so so appreciated. May you continue to uphold her and get her through this! Bless you!

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  30. In Christ we as women are made whole and pure. May CHRIST always give me His eyes and heart, to know that a sin is a sin… mine are no less then my girlfriends nor greater.. we all need love and forgiveness… from CHRIST first and then each other…

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  37. Thank you for this beautiful devotion. I am writing to request prayers to help me with addiction. I need to stop having several glasses of wine every night. Im grateful for God’s grace!!

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  40. I’m so grateful for God’s Grace! And, so thankful for this timely devotion that is exactly how I’m feeling this morning….less than. Thank you Sharon!

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  42. I’m thankful for God’s grace! I’m a third grade public school teacher, and though I pray for my students, it hadn’t crossed my mind that parents might be praying for ME! Thank you, Sharon. Today is my second day of the school year…my little lambs start next week!

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  48. I am grateful for God’s grace! He has seen me through every storm. While they have been difficult, heartbreaking, and challenging, He is faithful. One song that helps me the most is Sleep in the Storm by Unspoken.

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  50. I work at a CVS in a not so good part of Lafayette, In. It would be so easy for me to be judgemental about some of the people who come in but God has shown me so much!! I might not look like or act like they do but in my own way I do look and act like they do sometimes. That’s when I need to ask God for forgiveness and I do!!! I can’t begin to thank him enough for all He’s done for me and changing my attitude!!!! He’s such a good Father!!!!!

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  51. I am so grateful for God’s grace. I have such a hard time forgiving myself for even the smallest things and worrying about everything. I know worry is a sin and I try daily to conquer it. Thank you Sharon🙏

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