Casting Stones

by Michele Boy | June 2, 2022

I woke up Wednesday morning and read my daily bible verse “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
Bam. I was hit immediately that my yesterday was not that.
Being honest with myself, my thoughts were angry, petty, irritable. 
My husband joked, “It’s ok. That verse is for today.”
Looking deeper, clothe yourself means put on. Intentionally do those things. I didn’t. 
One thing after another fell apart on Tuesday and I snowballed into someone I didn’t reccognize. 
It was a friend who reminded me we all have those days. 
It was also a reminder that it is easy to cast stones. It is easy to judge others and tear them down. It is easy to say I was wronged. 
But I believe God says put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness.
How quick in this day and age are we to look at someone’s appearance and make judgments. How often do we think - If only they would do this. How can they live like that? Or why do they do that?
The truth is even on our best day, we can’t see what is in another’s heart. We can’t know their past, their experiences, their wounds.
One person may walk into a church and fall in love. We read stories where others had horror stories. 
One may have an incredible childhood, another may shudder at their past.
I am so grateful that I have Jesus. He is the one that knows my heart. He is the one that knows my experiences. And more importantly He is the one who knows where I need to grow. 
When I first came to know Him, I had a troubled  heart and a troubled past. He didn’t stone me. He clothed me with compassion and humility and gentleness. He showed me a love I had never known. And I will forever be grateful. 
He walks with me when I let Him. But so often I think of God and me on a football field. He throws me the ball and I run. But if I go too far on my own, I get cocky or lost. 
And like a loving Father, he is there to reel me in again, to show me that compassion and kindness I lost along the way.
I don’t know what you need or what you are going through. And you don’t know my struggles either. 
Maybe if we clothed ourselves with compassion and humility more we would find a better world. 
I am grateful He forgives me over and over again. Because I fail over and over again. 
This summer has just begun and it is so packed with 4-H projects, work, farming, chores, etc. I forgot to schedule in some fun. 
So I took my daughter’s hand at the sheep barn, turned on the music and started to dance. At first she was reluctant. When I told her these memories are precious, she relaxed and had some fun. 
How about you? Are you clothed in judgment or compassion? Are you scheduling in some fun? 
We can’t give what we don’t have. But His mercies are new every morning so let’s try again tomorrow! Holding onto what I did wrong yesterday won’t help me today.
 As Sting sings - Turn the clock to zero honey..we’re starting up a brand new day.