Stones, dirt and mercy

I see stones piled up.
Some rightly, on both sides.
And then I see Jesus over to there, kneeling in the dirt.

There’s a lot of dirt.

Remember that story about Jesus kneeling in the dirt? A bunch of men had a pile of stones and arguments, where broken justice needed to be served. Jesus sat scribbling and writing in the dirt. They asked Him, what did He have to say.

“Let him without sin cast the first stone.”

There are a lot of stones.

I hear outcries and outrage and I get it. It’s horrifying to hear about wrongs, when you want so much to get it right. It’s upsetting in so many ways.

There is so much wrong, you want to grab your drums and beat your chest and cry out for vindication, demand justice. So many of us feel that way. There is pain and anger. There’s plenty of logical and true arguments to be made.

I’ve always been pretty good at taking sides. Of course, what I see as the right ones. Defend those who need it. But maybe we’ve all been so obsessed about taking the right side, that we’re missing some of the point. It’s not just that people don’t need defending or speaking up for. They often, most certainly do.

But are we missing something?

When we pick up drums, are we also picking up stones? Words and actions, thrown in rebuttal. Not incorrect or wrong all together, but used it a way that makes them, so wrong.

Maybe part of the problem is, while we’re busy so speaking up for those that we see need it, we’re throwing stones in their defense and then hitting another neighbor. When in fact, we were supposed to be setting them all free.

Maybe instead of being so quick to come to a defense or to take a position on the offensive, there’s the Truth laying somewhere in the middle, over to the side.

Maybe it’s not about taking sides really, at at all.
Maybe it’s more about keeping an open heart.
To all people- regardless of color or creed or race or religion.
Regardless of which country flags one waves. We are all humans, and are we holding on to hope and building with it, or picking up stones and resentment, only to throw them, again.
It’s time for an open mind- to all dimensions of what’s happening.
On all sides, with both our mind and heart open enough to let the light in.

My mom used to say don’t be so open minded that your head falls out. (Don’t worry mom, I’m still listening to this sage advice.) I think you need your head right now more than ever. To think, to seek to understand.

But there’s one more thing.

Those things there, on either side of your head? Those ears that you have? We need two of them.
To listen to what is all around us.
To put our ear to the ground.
The hear a heartbeat.
Of people.
Of a nation, of an earth that takes witness.
Of a God who sees and knows everything, too.

Because, what is right? But,

“To act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly.”

When we match hatred with counter hatred, are we helping to heal anything? Does justice alone bring redemption? Does anger heal wounds? Can a city be rebuilt with outcries of blood for blood?

Maybe there’s something missing. Like a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.

It’s not judgement alone that we need. Maybe we all need a little mercy and understanding, too.
Or a lot.

Maybe this doesn’t have to be about picking up the stones. It could be about laying them down. Seeing all sides, not just taking one. Showing mercy instead of throwing stones at our neighbors.

When Jesus was over there kneeling on the ground, dragging the stick through the dirt, I don’t know if He actually wrote anything the sand. If perhaps, he wrote anything that made the men think of their own sins. I only know that after a while, they laid down their stones, and left.

The woman wasn’t stoned.

I think that maybe that’s where Jesus is again. ​​​​​​​Asking if we might lay down our stones, too. Spare a life.

For mercy. Just this once?

To let my heart find the hatred that it has held onto, and to lay it down, finally and maybe, too, again?

For the least of these? For others? And for greatest thing of all, for that which remains. You know, for LOVE.

I know there are many of us that won’t put down their stones. The question is, then, will you? Will I? And how many of us will? God is waiting to see.

“If My people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from Heaven and I will heal their land.”

Listen, I don’t have all the answers. We don’t have to know exactly what it will look like to start. We are all still listening and trying to figure it out, too. I just ask if you might sit for a minute again, and again, and listen to what Love has to say. Listen with your heart and your mind open and your ear to the ground for a while. Open to heaven, too. Asking, “What is going on here?”

It’s bigger than our own brief human histories or our own justice systems or our groups or our ideas or the “side” we were born into or our own countries (which we can love fiercely and want to see it flourish.) We want to see people thrive. But it doesn’t have to be one for another, or one over another.

Maybe that’s why this is bigger. This is about listening to a heartbeat of LOVE and mercy in our lifetime. (Please God let it be so!)

Ask yourself then. What does it look like to be there in the dirt, putting down stones, and giving mercy. What does it look like to take the only side that wins: LOVE and hope.
To stand with Him, who scribbled in the dirt and loves and forgives us all.
Be prepared to get uncomfortable. Because it’s uncomfortable in the dirt sometimes. It’s uncomfortable to see what you’re holding on to, and to stand instead with Love, to really reject hatred. It’s uncomfortable to put down stones when we’re so used to throwing them. It doesn’t make any sense sometimes to Love.

To stand against evil and hatred, wherever it comes from. Even if I’m used to it.

To reject darkness and all of the ways that it destroys us.
To side instead, with healing Love.

But that’s where Jesus is.
So that’s where I’d rather be, too.