"And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; 

but on whomever it falls, 

it will grind him to powder. Matthew 21:44

     When faced before Jesus, a heart must decide, a beautiful or harsh consequence awaits.

As to all things in this life, consequences always lie a stone's thrown away; yet, it is within the short distance between, that our decision demands the direction of the thrown. 

Who is this stone? The Chief Cornerstone, Jesus the Christ. 

Speaking to the hypocritical religious leaders of the day, He warns that their distance was quickly shrinking, making a decision that would effect a nation. The Jews were rejecting their Messiah. Pride was keeping them from bowing before Him. Jesus' words seem to echo the voice of the prophet Isaiah, when he declared, "Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near" (Isaiah 55:6).

Before them stood LIFE, but receiving this stone required brokenness. The consequences of Life requires the stone to remove sin and give a clean slate, this only comes through brokenness. 

A breaking producing full healing; falling upon a stone may scrape, but it heals, sin removed may be uncomfortable to the fleshly heart that has grown used to the practice and residence of sin, but the eternal results are wholeness, newness, restoration, and life. 

The curved thrown is to have such a stone fall upon you, in this case, bringing grave damage.

Jesus therefore, cries out, "Receive Me! Receive brokenness, surrender in this life, that you may stand secure upon the rock of salvation, eternal life in Me!"

Every soul must decide standing before the thrown, the consequences he will choose. I have heard many resist Christ or the church due to hypocrisy that they have victiminly witnessed, but here-in we see Jesus rebuking the hypocrites, He warns them of their consequences, He is just, the hypocrites will be judged, but so will you. Stop looking at what you disapprove of, this is your choice, your consequence, what will YOU do with the stone before you?

The Jews rejected and the results of their own "powder" impairs their vision still. 

Many live thinking they can duck from the stone's thrown or that they will never fall, and never allow a stone to fall upon them. However, their own idea does not prove reality. One day, every knee will bow, one day everyone will know that this stone is truly the only way, truth, and life. For many, their pride decided the consequence, although their eyes will see the Truth before them.

The question of what you will do with the Stone lies in the distance between. What will I choose?

THe stone has been revealed, Jesus came, lived, died, and rose conquering sin and death, are you receiving this stone to stand upon and give protection in the day of battle? or are you choosing for this stone to bring you back one day to the powder of the earth? :Dust you were, and dust you shall return to be" (Genesis 3:19). You alone can chose the direction of the thrown. Love is waiting. Allow brokenness to build you up.