Trust, gossip, friendship,stones, drawing in the dirt

How many times have we said it? "You can tell me anything, I won't tell a soul." Women are especially vunerable in this area. We so badly want the scoop on someone else, that we offer promises we have difficulty honoring. Now women, please don't be offended. I am not a sexist. I am only speaking about what has been true in my life. I know not everyone is the same. However, I will continue to explain. What is honor and truth? What is respect in a friendship? Would we be so anxious to hear the news if was something good or something about ourselves? I wonder if we would be so anxious to spread the word if we were charged by the lie, by the hurt it causes, by the inflated truth, or even if it is the hard, cold truth. I have found that I don't enjoy being around people that are constantly telling me about someone else and their problems. Yesterday, someone stopped me to tell me just what they had heard. HAD HEARD!!!! Where is the stick to draw in the dirt? Remember that story? The people had come to stone the prostitute to death. She was worldly. She was dirty. She was immoral. She was a person. Jesus knew the people's hearts. He saw right through their righteousness. He saw their checklist, their agenda. He knew who they were. So.... he picked up a stick and started drawing in the dirt. Waiting. Just waiting. The people yelled for justice. They knew this woman. They avoided her particular sin at all cost. But, what about their sin? "He who is without sin cast the first stone." Wow! Such a heavy statement. No one in that circle could pick up a stone. The crowd lessened. The people crawled away from the fight they had run to. Maybe, each time we start to speak about someone else, we need to see if we are in the crowd or could we be the woman on the ground, looking for mercy. MERCY. Underserving forgiveness and love. That woman was forever changed. What person on earth doesn't need mercy? No one. The next time someone says, "have you heard the lastest?" Why not reply, "Hold on a minute while I help you look for a stone. Now, who are we going to hit with it?"