We All Throw Rocks

⁷ They continued to question him, so he stood up and replied, “Whoever hasn’t sinned should throw the first stone.” (John 8:7) ~ Jesus 

Please take a moment to study the picture and the Meme above. Now meditate, and reflect on the image and the message it conveys. After you have finished, with thoroughness and honesty as your guide, answer these series of questions:

1. Who are the rock throwers?
2. Is Jesus right?
3. Are you a rock thrower?
4. Does this Meme do anything but divide the world even further?
5. Is this nothing more than “us versus them” rhetoric?

What happened to Ruby Bridges is an atrocity and heartbreaking, along with anyone who has been the victim of rock throwing. The Meme intends to make a valid point, the people represented are guilty of throwing rocks, but the same author of the Meme is replicating the very act they accuse the others of doing; they are throwing rocks too, and unwilling to acknowledge this truth about themselves.

The delusion of rock-throwing is that we are justified when throwing our rocks, while others are not. Our self-righteousness takes over, and we stand on the hilltop looking down at others, shouting at the top of our lungs and pounding our chest for justice while heaving our rocks down on our targets. We are crafty and articulate, describing how our rocks differ from their rocks and rationalizing why we must throw rocks but not so for our targets, whom we accuse of being monsters and in the wrong.

Those without character defects, shortcomings, and sin (all synonymous) toss the first rock. Can any of us with a straight face even pick up a rock, much less throw one? When will we heed the words of Jesus? When will we drop the rocks and start using love as the true keystone to bring about healing, forgiveness, reconciliation, and unity for ourselves, our neighbors, and the world?

The Steps We Can Take To Drop the Rocks

1. Admit that we rock throwers and have been all of our lives.
2. Confess to God and another human being that we are rock throwers and have injured countless others.
3. Ask God for forgiveness and for the willingness to drop the rocks.
4. Make a complete list of all the people for whom we have tossed rocks, regardless if we hit them or not, and pray for the willingness to reconcile with every single person, group, etc., that we have injured or attempted to injure.
5. Continue our quest to mature spiritually, to become agents of love, helping bring forth hope, joy, peace, justice, and unity for all people.
6. Help other rock throwers embrace the words of Jesus, so they can experience freedom from the rock slide, share God’s love, and become agents of love.

Tossing love at people versus rocks is the only way to live life to the fullest. We need help to achieve it, and God gives that help with the gift of the Holy Spirit, which dwells deep down inside every human being. If you truly seek God and desire to experience God’s mercy, grace, and love, you will discover it, transforming your life beyond your imagination. Your part is simple but not easy, drop the rocks, embrace the process of spiritual transformation, and remain committed for the rest of your earthly life until your soul transcends into the hereafter.

God of love, peace, hope, and joy, I confess to you and the world that I am a rock thrower and have hurt many along my journey. Please forgive me of my wrongdoing, and grant me the willingness to drop the rocks once and for all. God, I want to become an agent of love, justice, and unity for You and your children for the rest of my earthly life. Please heal all those I injured along the way, and allow your grace, mercy, and love to spread through the globe. I pray this in Your holy name, Amen.