We've all heard of the expression: "Don't throw stones if you live in a glass house".  What does this mean?  It is an expression which basically states that we are none of us perfect, and therefore we must not judge others when we are able to be judged ourselves.  A variation of this expression is seen in the saying: "Always keep your words sweet, because one day you may have to eat them."  Both of these expressions are derived from the Bible story which we study today from John 8:1-11.

This story describes a situation where Jesus is arriving in the mount of olives.  Jesus is in the town teaching when some of the locals bring a woman before Him.  She has apparently been caught in the act of adultery and has been brought before Jesus Christ to be judged and rebuked.  The people quote the "law of Moses" and claim that according to this law, she must be stoned to death.  You see, Jesus was not an old-testament thinker.  He is the new covernant.  The scripture states that the primary reason why the people brought this woman before Jesus was not necessarily because they needed His help to acrry out a sentence, but rather to test His resolve and to see if he held true to what they believed to be law.  At this time, Jesus knelt down and began to write in the sand with his finger tip.  I sometimes find myself wondering what it was that he was writting.  The scripture does not ellaborate, but I think that it must have been relevant.  Perhaps he was writting the names of the the accuser's mistresses in the sand *smiles*.  In any case, Jesus replies: If any of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her."  He then continued to write in the sand.

Needless to say, the woman was not stoned to death.  In fact, she wasn't even harmed.  Jesus forgave her and commanded her to leave behind her life of sin.  He forgave the woman that the people had condemned!  This woman turned out to be Mary Magdalene, one of Jesus' most well known followers. What is Jesus had agreed with the people and had her put to death for her human frailties?  What a loss of potential.  You know it says in Luke 15:7 that there is more rejoicing in heaven when a sinner repents, than ninety-nine people who do not need to repent.  

We are none of us perfect, and therefore none of us can judge another for the dins of our humanity.  Jesus forgives us even though we are not worthy of earthly mercy.  Although this is true, we must not grow slack and give up on being all that God has called us to be.  Jesus died and rose again to defeat our sins, not that we would take such a gift for granted, but that we can learn from our past sins and grow to be better and everything which Jesus has given us potential to be!

So let go of that grudge which has been holding you back for so long!  If someone has wronged you, let it go and you will see the difference in your life.  Let go of the burdens of guilt and anger and give it all to the Lord God.  Repent and move on in better strides and rely on the Lord to be your guide!