Skipping Stones

By Kenneth Akers

It is in my opinion that every young boy has in his DNA the need to throw rocks. Many times, with no regard for their surroundings, they just can’t help but pick up a rock and throw it. My older sister learned this the hard way. Sorry Karen! As I’ve gotten older, I have come to understand there is a place and time for everything. When you find yourself standing on the bank of a creek, pond, river, lake—anything with water—you find a flat rock and skip it.

Growing up in the hills of Eastern Kentucky, with few entertainment options, skipping rocks was a great pastime. You couldn’t throw just any rock, because throwing rocks was, and always will be, a competition for boys. Distance and accuracy are important. Selecting the right skipping stone is an art. It must be flat and smooth with nice tapered edges, not sharp edges.

And while distance was important, the number of skips was king. A good skip would hop across the water 15 to 20 times, but when the surface of the water was smooth, and you held the perfect stone, 40 to 50 skips were not out of the realm of possibility. Now, I know it is almost impossible to count the ripples accurately, but as a young boy, you just knew. And let’s be honest, guys, we still enjoy that feeling of watching the stone zip across the water.

In John 8, Jesus addressed “throwing stones.” As a trap, religious leaders took an adulterous woman to Jesus. They were trying to find any reason to accuse Him of wrongdoing. If you are familiar with the story, Jesus stooped and wrote something in the dirt.

Then He told the accusers that whoever had not sinned could throw the first stone. Then He knelt and started writing again. While we don’t know what He wrote, some speculate it may have been sins of the group. Whatever it was, the Bible says they were convicted and left.

I wonder in my own mind, if the circumstances were different, could Jesus have said, “Whoever has never made a mistake, let him throw the first stone”? Don’t get me wrong, I mean a mistake, not a sin. I’ve often heard it said the only people who don’t make mistakes are those who never do anything. Far too often, we are quick to throw stones at those who make mistakes because they are doing their best to accomplish something for God.

Could Jesus have said, “Let him who has never been jealous of another’s success cast the first stone”? For some, the way to look better is to tear down those around them. Or, He could have said, “Let him who has never been envious of God’s blessings on others cast the first stone.” Why can’t we be glad when God blesses others, rather then asking, “Why them and not me?”

I could go on and on, but you get the point. So, let me challenge you: next time you find yourself ready to throw a stone, just skip it.

About the Writer: Ken Akers is director of Free Will Baptist Master's Men. The ministry, a part of North American Ministries, is responsible for disaster response, works closely with church planters in Operation Saturation, which helps get out the word about new churches, and oversees Impact outreach and ushering for the annual convention. Learn more: fwbmastersmen.org.