Matthew 18:6-7
“But if you give them a hard time, bullying or taking advantage of their simple trust, you’ll soon wish you hadn’t. You’d be better off dropped in the middle of the lake with a millstone around your neck. Doom to the world for giving these God-believing children a hard time! Hard times are inevitable, but you don’t have to make it worse—and it’s doomsday to you if you do.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
When I was about two years old, I wandered into my grandmother’s bathroom one day, opened a bottle of rubbing alcohol she had left sitting on the back of her toilet…and apparently, I took a drink. I can still see the doctor and nurses in the ER, wrapping me tightly in a bed sheet, so that they could insert a tube into my nose and down my throat to pump out my stomach. To this day, I do not like anything tight – clothing, small spaces, or even the thought of being confined.
My grandmother did not do this to hurt me. I’m sure it never even occurred to her that I would notice that container – or be intrigued by it…certainly not enough to take a swig! But at the same time, as a toddler, I trusted her to keep me safe. Let’s face it…children get into enough on their own without us making it easy for them!
Now think about your life as a Christian. Where have YOU left something potentially damaging “out on the counter” for others? Have you inadvertently tempted someone with a “do as I say…not as I do” attitude or action? Do you qualify gossip with “I’m only telling YOU this…” or “Don’t tell anyone else” hope that this person truly won’t perpetuate your “information”? Are you hypocritical…treating others kindly in person – then criticizing them to friends and acquaintances? Do you pretend to be one person at church, at school, or in your community…then act differently when you are “among friends” out on the lake, at a party… or away at school?
Do you encourage others and strengthen them in their faith walk… or are you divisive? Do you build up relationships with your comments, actions and attitudes…or do you tear them down? Most of us would never dream of smoking in front of someone who is trying to quit… or taking an alcoholic out for drinks. But in essence, we do insensitive – and potentially harmful – things like this all the time with our words, actions, and relationships.
Quite often, we are not careful about our talk or our “walk”…we don’t stop to think about how what we are doing affects others. And the Bible is clear that to cause another person to succumb to temptation – or sin - can have serious consequences. But even more than this, to cause another person to question his/her faith…to discourage someone or “kick them when they are down” …is equally disappointing to God. We’d just as well tie a big rock around our necks and jump into the lake!
None of us would never intentionally harm a child. So we must remember to think of others as God’s children…and treat them accordingly. Let’s examine our hearts and our minds… our words and our actions… and see where we need to “clear the counter”. Let’s act with integrity, sincerity and genuine care and compassion. Let’s be the true disciples Jesus called us to be. I’m in…are you?
©2014 Debbie Robus
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