What If We Dropped Our Stones?

What If We Dropped Our Stones By Silvia Ledon

I’ve been lingering in this moment — the story of Jesus, the woman who is being shamed, and men with stones in their hands. Do you remember that story? 

The religious leaders bring a woman before Jesus, accusing her publicly and demanding a verdict. Not only are they attempting to trap Jesus but they are also taking advantage of the opportunity to assert their masculine power. “The law says she should be stoned”, they say. Oh, to be evil in the name of God, is there anything more abhorrent?

The scene is tense, charged with judgment and fear. The woman bathed in guilt and shame is on display, discarded, used, and ready to be annihilated. And right there in the middle of it all, Jesus kneels down in the dust. No rush to defend. No instant miracle. Just silence, presence, and fierce grace.

As a woman, my heart goes out to her, first and foremost, but before I settle my eyes on her, I’m looking at the crowd - at each one of those men, straight in the eyes. I feel angry. But I have to stop for a moment, because Jesus is seeing them, too, not as villains to defeat, but as men who have also forgotten grace. His words—"Let the one who is without sin cast the first stone" don’t just disarm them, they awaken them. One by one, starting with the older ones, they drop their stones and leave. Even here, there is no condemnation. God’s mercy is multidirectional and multidimensional and it releases even the guiltiest of captives. I’m stunned.

Only now can I switch my gaze to the woman thrown in the center of the circle, probably shaking, probably preparing herself for pain and death. And then, Jesus goes against every societal and religious rule and speaks to her, sees her, saves her, LOVES her. “Where are your accusers?”, he says, and sends her off without condemnation. In a few minutes, his fierce grace had a transformative, healing effect on her. She walks taller, smiles wider, and is capable of making new choices in her life.

Grace protects. Grace heals. Grace transforms.

What would happen if those of us who claim to follow Jesus, actually treated each other with grace in such a fierce and courageous way? What would happen if we dropped our stones? What would happen if love won over cultural standards, religious obligations, peer pressure, and most especially, our own prejudices? 

What would happen if grace interrupted our judgement?

Now, wouldn’t that be a beautiful world to live in.