cure for ashy hands...

You can’t throw shade with ashy hands

Monthly, I take a few students from our youth department on a campus tour of local colleges and universities. If you have ever traveled with teenagers, you know the types of adventures that can ensue.

Recently we toured a beautiful campus in Houston, Texas. While on the trip, one of the teens asked another teen for some lotion. Instead of just handing over the lotion, the lotion came with all sorts of side comments. It was the response to the comments that created this message.

As my teenager accepted the lotion and the side comments, they responded by saying, “You can’t throw shade with ashy hands!”

The bible tells a story of a woman who was caught in the act of adultery. There is no uncertainty that she was wrong. The challenge occurs when her accusers seek punishment for her actions.

As Jesus was teaching a crowd of people that day, the accused woman was thrown into His and the crowd’s midst. Partially clothed and fully embarrassed her intimate exchange was publically exposed and a punishment demanded.

Those who are hurting commonly hurt others and will look for open opportunities to publicly assert their vengeance.

The woman’s accusers not only planned to malign the character of Jesus they also wanted to murder the woman.

The religious leaders’ intentions were steeped in personal gain and deceit without regard to how the outcome looked on their part.

Romans 3:23 (NLT)

23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.

Because making mistakes is common we should be cautious about crucifying others for something we have either done or could do ourselves.

As the men continued to accuse the woman of her offense Jesus simply kneeled down and wrote in the loose earth beneath him.

We never discover what Jesus wrote yet His words brought a certain conviction to the accusers and is applicable today. Jesus, with strong admonition, declares, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!”

Soon the accusers dropped their stones and started slipping away.

The men had secret sins of their own that deemed them worthy of the same punishment they wanted enforced. Before you destroy someone, look at your own dirt. You can’t be messy and be messy.

Finally, when the overwhelming desire to physically defend every accusation arises, remember who not only has your back but also your comeback plan.

Romans 12:19 (NLT)

Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord.