There was a woman who was brought to Jesus, charged with adultery. Her accusers wanted her stoned to death. I was excited at how Jesus showed mercy to her, I mean he forgave her sins but I learnt another lesson from this.
Jesus went ahead to ask about her accusers after he replied to them to throw stones at her if they had not sinned before. They were all gone because none of them could throw a stone at her, they were not perfect. At the time she was caught in adultery, they were eager to throw stones at her, her imperfections were magnified that they couldn't see they had gone astray before.
Jesus' response is a big lesson for us all. Some of us may have attempted to throw stones at other people at a slight display of imperfections from their parts, especially those people we expect so much from. An example would be fellow believers whom we expect to do better in lifestyles and character. Sometimes, we believers may do things that aren't our nature-like, but God doesn't see us through the lens of our offences, he sees us through Christ, he sees us as his righteousness. He's forgiven you of all your sins, he forgave you ahead. So why don't you see others how God sees them? You can do that because you have God in you. You have the love of God in you, an unconditional love spread abroad in your heart to reach out to other people.
We are not to select whom to love or be good to. Sometimes, it's possible to unconsciously select who qualifies for your love because we've already judged. Even before actually getting to know somebody, it's possible to look at them and make judgements or from things you've heard about them.
Don't get it wrong, because you are not to judge others doesn't mean you can't correct or call out people when they go astray. When you do things not in sync with your nature, God corrects you in love. He doesn't condemn you. God is firm but gentle. He wants you to follow the right paths. This is how you should correct people. If you can't confidently correct or call out a person for their mistakes, don't talk behind them or put them down before others, it will only make these people see them the way you've made them to be. Even before correcting, how is your heart towards them, are you already throwing stones in your mind? If so, you need to listen to what God is saying to you at that moment. Let the Holy Spirit lead you not your ego, self righteousness or you may need to drop it. Because you have the liberty to correct does mean you hold a microscope observing every move of a person for a fall. Be more focused on showing love than spotting wrongdoings.
Jesus did correct that woman, but did you notice how he did it?
John 8 vs 10 -11 10 Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” 11 “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”
Mathew 18 vs 15 “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.
Ephesians 4 vs 2 With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,
Hebrews 12 vs 6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.”
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