DAY 4 — Put Down the Stone
Day 4 — Put Down the Stone
Read: John 8:7–11
Eventually, everyone leaves.
The crowd disappears. The accusations stop. The stones hit the ground.
And Jesus asks:
“Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
“No one, sir.”
Then come some of the most beautiful words in the story:
“Then neither do I condemn you.”
Think about who says those words.
Jesus is the only person standing there who actually could have thrown the stone.
He is without sin.
Yet He chooses mercy.
If anyone had the right to condemn her, it was Jesus—and instead, He extended grace.
That should shape the way followers of Jesus treat people.
We live in a world that is remarkably good at throwing stones. Sometimes they aren’t literal stones. They’re gossip. Judgment. Social media comments. Holding someone’s past over them. Quietly deciding that someone is beyond hope.
Followers of Jesus are called to something different.
We can tell the truth without throwing stones.
We can hold convictions without losing compassion.
We can acknowledge sin while remembering that the person standing in front of us is someone Jesus loves.
Reflect
Prayer
Jesus, teach me to treat people the way You do. Help me put down judgment, bitterness, and self-righteousness. Give me courage to speak truth and the humility to do it with grace. Amen.
Today’s Step:
Look for one opportunity today to extend grace instead of proving a point.
Read: John 8:7–11
Eventually, everyone leaves.
The crowd disappears. The accusations stop. The stones hit the ground.
And Jesus asks:
“Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
“No one, sir.”
Then come some of the most beautiful words in the story:
“Then neither do I condemn you.”
Think about who says those words.
Jesus is the only person standing there who actually could have thrown the stone.
He is without sin.
Yet He chooses mercy.
If anyone had the right to condemn her, it was Jesus—and instead, He extended grace.
That should shape the way followers of Jesus treat people.
We live in a world that is remarkably good at throwing stones. Sometimes they aren’t literal stones. They’re gossip. Judgment. Social media comments. Holding someone’s past over them. Quietly deciding that someone is beyond hope.
Followers of Jesus are called to something different.
We can tell the truth without throwing stones.
We can hold convictions without losing compassion.
We can acknowledge sin while remembering that the person standing in front of us is someone Jesus loves.
Reflect
- What do “stones” look like in our culture today?
- Is there someone you’ve continued to define by something they did?
- How could you follow Jesus’ example by extending both truth and grace?
Prayer
Jesus, teach me to treat people the way You do. Help me put down judgment, bitterness, and self-righteousness. Give me courage to speak truth and the humility to do it with grace. Amen.
Today’s Step:
Look for one opportunity today to extend grace instead of proving a point.
Posted in Daily Devotional