Casting Stones

Recent political coverage is all abuzz about the news of Republican Vice President Sarah Palin's 17 year old daughter Bristol and her announcement that she is 5 months pregnant.  Her pregnancy occurred out of wedlock and she plans to now marry her boyfriend, the baby's father.  Critics claim that Sarah Palin's pro-life stance and belief that only abstinence programs ought to be supported did not work out so well for her. 

Screaming for sex education, they insist that all high school teenagers ought to be taught proper procedures for protecting themselves from STD's and unwanted pregnancies.  They also insist that Bristol's mistake is yet another case of a conservative's "holier than thou" message of abstinence and that it does not work.  It is hypocritical and judgmental.

However, for all of the fuss, one thing needs to be understood.  There is a difference between defining a standard of morality and actually living up to it.  All people are guilty of making a mistake and not living up to what they know are the right norms of behavior.  Each of us agree about many, many forms of social and behavioral norms and yet each of us has also fallen short of our own standards.  It's the difference in standards that ought to be discussed not the lack of one's ability to abide by them.

The Bible, of course, has a term for such behavior - it's called "sin".  Sin is the transgression of God's laws and the breaking of His moral code.  It's the outright refusal, denial, and inability to live up to a standard of excellence that only God Himself has kept perfect.

In John 8, Jesus meets an adulterous woman whom has been brought to Him by self-righteous religious leaders (scribes and Pharisees) who claim that she has been caught in the very act of adultery.  Asking Him if they ought to stone her for breaking the Law of Moses, Jesus turns to them and replies, "He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." (Jn 8:7)

Yet, each of them turn away from Him unwilling to cast a stone at her.  Recognizing these actions, Jesus asks her who is left to condemn her.  She responds, "No one, Lord."  Extending forgiveness to her for her sinfulness, He further states "I do not condemn you, either.  Go.  From now on sin no more." (Jn 8:11)

The key here to proper interpretation is to understand what Jesus said to her accusers.  Notice that He did not say, "Let he who has not committed adultery be the first to throw a stone at her."  Instead, He says "He who is without sin".  Wow.  Big difference.  Jesus calls attention to the fact that it is your standard of judgment that is important. 

We can all find people whom sin more than we do.  We look at their lives and can point out countless sins and sinful behaviors.  Yet, we often forget our standard.  Perfection.  Jesus' standard was the exact same as God's.  If we want to point sin in another's life, let's learn to examine sin under the microscope of "perfection".

When we do, we will be hesitant to be so quick to yell "hypocrite" and toss stones at another.  Instead, we will also be quick to see our own imperfections and turn to God in mercy crying "Be merciful to me, the sinner!" (Lu 18:13)

Joshua