We live in a world where people are quick to assume the worst without considering the facts. Just a rumour, gossip, or a social media post, they start throwing stones, shaming and discrediting the person. The scripture says Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you Matthew 7:1-2
There is now zero tolerance for people who make mistakes. You will be told that you should have known better. Just to expose, blow things out of proportion, and make sure you get what you deserve without mercy. The scripture says the mercy you show others is the mercy you will receive.
If you are harsh and critical, and you don’t give people grace to be human, then when you make a mistake, people will be harsh and critical with you. It’s easy to find fault and kick people when they are down; can you believe they did this? But we are not called to throw stones; we are called to lift the fallen, restore the broken, and heal those who are hurt.
They don’t need more judgment; they have enough people beating them down. They need someone who will pour healing oil on them, someone who will help love them back into wholeness. This is one way to be like God; helping people in need, showing mercy when they have failed, and lifting people when others are pushing them down.
This is not excusing their behaviour or covering their sins; I’m talking about loving them back into wholeness. So when they come to you, they know they won’t be judged or looked down on. They are safe with you because you are full of mercy. Your heart of compassion is open; you don’t have stones of judgment or stones of condemnation.
You have healing oil to pour for forgiveness, understanding that will help them get back on their feet. In the Old Testament, there was something called a city of refuge. They lived under a law that said if you killed someone, it was an eye for an eye; you would be killed. The Israelites lived in 48 cities throughout the land of Canaan. God told Joshua to set up six cities to be known as cities of refuge. Joshua 20
If you accidentally took someone’s life, if you made it to the city of refuge, you would be spared. Maybe you were working on your land, and your axe head flew off and killed someone, or your animal got loose and harmed a person. Normally, there would be no questions: you made a mistake, it’s your fault; you are going to get what you deserve.
However, under this new law, if you could just get to one of those cities of refuge, if you could make it to that safe place, the people would take you in, protect you, and keep you from harm when the avenger came looking for you to pay you back. These people would step up for you; they would protect you and look after you.
Just like Jesus came as our refuge, if we come to Him, we don’t receive the judgment we deserve; we made it to the city of refuge (John 6:37). David also said, “God is my refuge” (Psalm 91:2). And in (Proverbs 18:10) says the name of the Lord is a strong tower that we can run to and be safe.” So, if you come to Him, you are in a safe place. There is forgiveness, there is mercy, there are new beginnings, and there is beauty for ashes.
Now, here’s the key: Jesus said, “Freely you have received, freely give.” You have received all this mercy; freely give it away. Be generous with your mercy, generous with your forgiveness. It’s easy to become like society; judgmental, critical, with zero tolerance. You don’t deserve it; no! God has called you to stop throwing stones and be a person of refuge Matthew 10:8
JESUS’ RESPONSE TO ACCUSERS!
In John chapter 8, Jesus was teaching people in the synagogue. All of a sudden, the religious leaders came, dragging a woman caught in the act of adultery. They threw her down right in the middle of the people. They could have dealt with this privately; they could have waited till the session was over and taken her to a back room.
They didn’t care about the woman; they had an agenda and were trying to trap Jesus. The first thing is, “Where is the man?” Talking about injustice… they didn’t drag him in. They said to Jesus, “The law says to stone her; what do you say we should do?” Jesus had been up there talking the whole time, but now he went silent. He didn’t say a word.
When people make mistakes, when they have a failure, one of the best things we can do is go silent. Zip it up; don’t talk about them. Don’t call your neighbour and say, “Did you hear what this person did?” Stop throwing stones and be a person of honour. This lady was surrounded by a mob, and they were all ready to stone her. That’s the society we live in today: a mob culture.
Jesus finally said to them, “You who are without sin, throw the first stone.” He was saying, “If you have never made a mistake, never failed, never done something you are not proud of, then go ahead.” The fact is, we have all needed mercy. We have all done something where, if God hadn’t covered us, we wouldn’t be where we are.
The scripture says, “The men began to leave one by one, from the oldest to the youngest; they all put down their stones and walked away.” Jesus said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Hasn’t anyone accused you?” She said, “No man, Lord.” He said, “Neither do I; now go and sin no more.”
One lesson from this story is to stop throwing stones. When you are throwing stones, accusing, and judgmental, you are on the wrong side. But, pastor, they are guilty; they deserve it. Only the guilty need mercy. The scripture says, “If someone is caught in sin, you who are spiritual should gently restore them.” (Galatians 6:1)
See, in the Old Testament, according to the law, this woman should have been stoned. But in the New Testament, we are told to gently restore. The religious leaders had their stones ready to carry out this law. Jesus said, in effect, “This is a new day; no more stoning for sins.” Now my question is: Are you living under the Old Testament or the New Testament?
It’s so important to keep your heart of compassion open. When I’m tempted to be judgmental and think they are getting what they deserve, I always come back to that thought: but for the grace of God, that could be me. Instead of criticising and adding fuel to the fire, I’m going to let them know that I’m praying for them, that I believe in them, and that God knows how to restore.
Half of the things we hear today aren’t even true. We make judgments based on social media and what people want to discredit. Some people make a living trying to expose people. Joining them will only bring you harm. Get on God’s side, put those stones down, and be a safe place.
Stop throwing stones at people. Look at people through the eyes of compassion, not judgment. You don’t know their story. We see what people do, but we don’t know why they do it. Some are dealing with things we have never had to face: carrying heavy loads, burdened by mistakes, and trying to break generational baggage. Let’s be healers; let’s be lifters.
I’m asking you to be a city of refuge, not a city of guilt and condemnation. Nobody wants to live in those cities. Make sure your city is full of mercy, compassion, and forgiveness. Be a person who gently restores and lifts the fallen. I know we are going to be tempted to condemn and find fault. Put the stones down; we are not the judges.
We are the healers; we are the ones who love people back into wholeness. If you will stop throwing stones, I decree and declare there will always be mercy for you and your children in their time of need. God will cover you, protect you, restore you, and you will become all that He has created you to be in Jesus’ name.
The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift His countenance upon you, And give you peace.”’!
