Even if you haven’t watched the movie “Forrest Gump” you’d probably recognize many of the maxims that contributed to its fame: “Run, Forrest, run,” “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get,” or “Stupid is as stupid does.” It is a cinematic success not only because of the plot, but because many of Forrest’s remarks are quite profound.
One of the film’s most moving moments is when Forrest accompanies his friend to an abandoned house that represents a painful memory from her past. As they approach the shack, she runs toward it, hurling stones and gravel at the glass windows as she goes, before crumbling to the ground in exhaustion, anger and hurt. Forrest, empathizing with her emotion, says, “Sometimes, there just aren’t enough rocks.”
There isn’t an earthly antidote for suffering. Sometimes there just aren’t enough rocks to suffice a hurt that has been done in your life. In John 8, a group of Pharisees and teachers of the law brought a woman, who had committed adultery, before Jesus. It is easy to imagine them standing around the shamed lady, with hands raised and rocks lodged in their palms. But Jesus knew a stoning wouldn’t heal her hurt or calm the crowd.
Instead, with the woman standing before Him, He says, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” (John 8:7) The crowd slowly dropped their stones and backed away, until only Jesus and the woman were left. In verse ten Jesus looks at her and says, “’Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’ ‘No one, sir,’ she said. ‘Then neither do I condemn you,’ Jesus declared. ‘Go now and leave your life of sin.’”
In this story, theologian John Piper believes Jesus to be saying, “Don’t commit adultery anymore. Not mainly because you fear stoning. But because you have met God and have been rescued by His grace — saved by grace!” Maybe when His children lash out in anger and pain, God is thinking, you can throw rocks, but what would that change? You can break windows, but who does that heal? Instead, He says, neither do I condemn you; you’ve thrown your last stone.
You come to Him with brokenness and He meets you with grace.
“The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.” (Psalm 18:2)
Written By Juliet Bromme
