are you casting stones...?

"Starry, starry night," a painting created in 1889 by Vincent van Gogh, depicts a night scene filled with stars. those same stars that we also see at night, untouched since the beginning of time! Doesn't that just fill your heart with wonder and awe?

Early this morning, I stepped outside to a dark world. The  almost full moon had set and the stars twinkled like diamonds in the cold sky. As I meditated on that beauty, it occurred to me that those stars were also meditated upon by everyone in history going back many many years. The saints the apostles, the disciples of Jesus saw them, Moses probably used the constellations to guide him into the Promised Land. People in all corners of the world are viewing what I am viewing.

And all is right in the world.

From a distance, we all are doing OK. It is only when one gets real close up that the scars show through. But have no fear or doubts, please. God uses us in ways that are miraculous to behold, He uses us for good...even those who seem to have the worst blemishes from our past, God uses those scars, stains and sins for the greater good of us all.

Look at the Apostle Paul, known also as St. Paul; he was on his way to persecute the new Christians when he was stopped by a Voice...blinded by a Light that rendered him unable to see, the Voice from heaven asked him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?" The revelation from this experience turned Saul into Paul, who became a zealot for the Christian faith...indeed, he suffered so much for what he did, yet without his passion for the Lord, where would our faith be today?

 God called upon Peter, remember Peter, now also known as St. Peter? he who denied Jesus three times went on to become "the Rock" of the Church.

Jesus called on tax collectors. Matthew, remember him? He wrote a Gospel all about Jesus.

Jesus called on women...prostitutes!...Jewish women, Samaritan women...keep in mind how SCANDALOUS this was back then, plus these women were considered cast-offs from society for their misdeeds, yet Jesus approached them, forgiving them, then asking them to "come, follow me!"

No matter what any one of us have done IN OUR PAST, Jesus looks beyond our sins and calls us to a new future with Him!!! Isn't that wonderful? We are loved unconditionally...that past is not tossed back in our faces or splashed on the news night after night...after night.

So if Jesus can do that...then why can't WE? Me...you...why when we hear a piece of news about whomever, be it celebrity, politician or friend, why can't we turn off the "spin" and embrace the sinner?

"WHO among you is sin free?" I know that I am not. There are things that, if I were running for political office, could probably be thrown at me. I know I would feel ashamed to see it splashed all over. But we need to consider the present. If one repents of their sins, it is forgiven. Gone! Done! Over! To have it handed back at us through whatever means possible only stirs up a potion of hate, disregard and unworthiness.

I implore you...let's look BEYOND a person's past, let us PLEASE adopt a forgiving heart!

Mother Teresa (now Saint Mother Teresa) said it best, "I am just a little pencil in the hand of God!" This should be our mantra for today--and tomorrows beyond that. If you are God's pencil, God doesn't write junk, He doesn't hold pasts sins against you and He most assuredly would not wish to cause you pain, harm and humiliation.
God wouldn't...
so why would we?

May you have a wonderfully blessed day! May God be with you...to guide your steps and grant you His peace!