Yoder: Aaron and the Stones

Oh, LORD, be near to me.

Important men. They remind one small boy, Aaron, of birds he saw on an ordinary day like today. Sitting next to a carcass – they waited patiently for an animal to finish dying. They were chatting, talking about unimportant things while they waited for death’s arrival. 

“Yes, that tree three miles down the road doesn’t look well at all. It might make a good home for us, Polly.”

“Are you sure, Herman? You don’t think it’s too drafty?”

“No, no. Stop worrying about every little thing. It’ll be fine.”

“I guess you know best, dear.”

The boy watches from his window as the animal clings to one thread of life. Aaron doesn’t realize he’s holding his breath until the birds peck at the helpless animal.  “No! No!” he screams, running out to drive the birds away. 

Oh, LORD, be near to me.

“They’re bigger than I thought,” he says out loud. Aaron studies the birds. They look like giants rising from a thousand broken promises, countless shredded hearts and endless shattered dreams. They look like hate, envy, fear, deep darkness and something else Aaron’s never seen before. As if someone whispers in his ear, he suddenly knows. ”It’s evil. I’m looking evil in the face.” Aaron trembles uncontrollably from the top of his hair to the tips of his toes. He hugs himself, trying to keep himself together as if he’s a Mr. Potato Head ready to pop apart. 

Aaron sighs with sadness and relief when the animal dies. Now he can go back to the safety of his window. He runs. He runs like the devil is chasing him. He runs like he’s running for his life. 

Oh, LORD, be near to me.

Today Aaron’s in town with his older brothers. They’re supposed to watch him, but they’re somewhere else. Aaron doesn’t mind, except for today. Today he wishes his big brothers were next to him. He wishes he could shut his ears. So much screaming, cursing, crying. 

Oh, LORD, be near to me.

Angry men drag a woman outside and throw her to the ground. Men and women surround her, each holding a large stone. “These are people I know,” thinks Aaron. “What are they doing?” An old man gives Aaron a stone. Aaron looks at it. “What’s this for?” But he knows the answer in the same terrible way that the dying animal knew the birds were on his death watch. 

Aaron throws the stone to the ground and screams, “No!”  He runs at the crowd, waving his arms, trying to shoo them away. Someone pushes him and he’s falling, falling into the arms of a man. A man without a stone. The one they call, “Jesus.” Jesus picks him up and puts his arm around Aaron, steadying him, comforting him. 

“Teacher,” some men say sarcastically, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. The law tells us to stone her. What do you say?” Jesus kneels down and writes in the dirt. All the noise stops. They pick at Jesus again, “just like the birds,” thinks Aaron. Jesus, writing in the dirt some more, stands and says, “If you live a blameless life, you throw the first stone.”

The men leave. Jesus looks up at the woman. “Does anyone condemn you?”

“No one, Master.”

”Then neither do I. Go on your way. From now on, don’t sin.” She leaves. Jesus leaves. Aaron’s brothers find him. As he’s leaving, Aaron looks at the dirt. Maybe his eyes were tricking him, but for a second Aaron saw a picture of vultures with a line through them. Next to it was one word. “Love.” It wasn’t a statement, it was a command. Love!

Oh, LORD, be near to me.

Many years later, Aaron sees vultures circling again. Just as he has many times before, Aaron finds a stone in his hand. Each time he picks up a stone, Aaron remembers that Jesus can lay it down for him just like the last time Aaron sees Jesus. He’s nailed to a cross. Aaron brings every stone he’s carried. One by one he lays them at the foot of Jesus’ cross. 

For the rest of his life, when Aaron finds a stone in his hand, he asks God for forgiveness and he asks Jesus to take the stone from his hand. Aaron dies as an old man. One funny thing. After his funeral, some boys were playing in the dirt. One of them yelled out to the others, “Come! See what I see.”

In the dirt someone had written, “I pick up the stones, but Jesus carries them to the cross. 

Oh, LORD, be near to me.

Kathy Yoder is a devotional writer. She can be reached at  Kathyyoder4@gmail.com and Kathyyoder.com.