Glass Houses
By Kendra Osborn
“…said to Jesus, ‘Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?’ They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, ‘If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.’
Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there . Jesus straightened up and asked her, ‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’ ‘No one, sir,’ she said. ‘Then neither do I condemn you,’ Jesus declared. ‘Go now and leave your life of sin.’"
John 8:4-11 (NIV)
I was talking to a friend recently and during our conversation they brought up an incident of a Brother in Christ who was accused of something that was damaging to them and potentially their ministry. When my friend left my office and I headed home for the day I started thinking about a song my junior high chorus teacher taught us called Glass Houses. I have never forgotten this song and I started singing it and meditating on the words, “People who live in glass houses, people living in glass houses should not, should not thrown stones.” As I was singing God brought to mind the story of the woman caught in adultery.
I started thinking about the story in John and the song. God spoke into my heart and reminded me that we all live in glass houses. How easy it is to forget our fragile surroundings. Sometimes we think because we clean the glass well enough where we can’t see the dirt, grime and fingerprints of our choices, we are better off than other people who’s sin is so visible you can hardly see in their glass house.
None of us are exempt from sin and we are all one step away from falling. At any time we can make the wrong decisions, think wrong thoughts, say the wrong words, look at the wrong things, make the wrong choice. I am not advocating for anyone to excuse sin or to justify it. But God’s word is clear that when we find a brother or sister in sin we are not to throw stones but to restore them gently, rebuking and correcting in love.
Galatians 6:1-3 says, “Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.”
I know there have been times where I’ve held stones of all sizes and in my heart and with my words, thrown them at those who needed to be restored gently. I have often forgotten that I live in a glass house where I shouldn’t be holding the stones let alone throwing them.
I love that when they asked Jesus a question He immediately bent down and started writing on the ground. He did this again after He made a statement that no one could follow through with. He didn’t stand there waiting for their response because he knew no one is without sin and had any right to throw the first stone. The beautiful part of this story is when Jesus stood back up. It was just the woman and Her Savior.
Jesus redeemed her and set her free and He never once held a stone but restored her with His unconditional love. There will be times we will be the crowd ready to throw the first stone. And then there will be those times where we will be the one left standing alone with our Savior.
Pray with me: Lord God, You and You alone are worthy to be praised. We call on Your name and ask for your forgiveness when we have sinned against you and when we have sinned against others.
Show us Lord the difference between holding someone accountable for their sin and throwing stones. Teach us Lord how to restore gently and break our hearts when someone falls. Move us to pray for others who are in a state of brokenness and fill us with Your compassion and with Your love. I pray we would remember we all live in glass houses and we are not in a place to throw stones.
Lord, you are so good and we praise Your holy name. Thank You for loving us even when we’re in the muck of our sin and thank You for standing with us until the end. We love You, praise You and we know we are nothing without You. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray. Amen. |