The Stoning of Soraya M.

Last night, my husband and I sat down, watched and listened to the true, heart-wrenching story of Soraya M., an Iranian woman who was falsely accused of adultery - which is still punishable by death by stoning in today's Iran. That's what happened to kind spirited Soraya, a devoted mother, a wife, whose husband's desire to marry a 14 year old girl led him to want to divorce then get rid of her. With the help of the village's Mayor and Mullah, they plotted to kill her, trapping her and the whole village inhabitants into an intricate web of lies. There are no words to describe what was done... As I watched the movie, I was reminded of that woman whom the Pharisees brought to Jesus Christ, to see if He too, would accuse and take part in the stoning.

'The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group ⁴and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. ⁵In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" ⁶They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.' John 8:3-6

Oh, how sweet and loving is my Lord, who forgives all of our sins. Instead of accusing her, he simply said:

"If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." ⁸Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.⁹At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. ¹⁰Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"

¹¹"No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin." (John 8:7-11)

My heart grieves when I hear stories like Soraya's. I can only sigh and look to our Lord, the one and only true God, who has provided a way out from our transgressions in His Beautiful son Jesus Christ, whose blood purifies us from all sins and restores us as heirs of the Kingdom.