Today's Quick Word
Today’s Quick Word
Luke 17:1-3a Jesus said to his disciples: “Things that cause people to stumble are bound to come, but woe to anyone through whom they come. It would be better for them to […]
Luke 17:1-3a Jesus said to his disciples: “Things that cause people to stumble are bound to come, but woe to anyone through whom they come. It would be better for them to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around their neck than to cause one of these little ones to stumble. So watch yourselves.”
Apparently in the fledgling Church in Corinth there arose a potentially harmful dispute over whether people who had become Christian believers should therefore refrain from having anything to do with meat that had been offered up as sacrifices to pagan idols and then sold at the market. It was a sensitive question and a real source of strong difference of opinion.
Paul pointed out the principles involved in deciding the ‘right’ course of action, but finally judged that the important consideration was avoiding anything that might cause a fellow-Christian to stumble: “Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause them to fall” (1 Corinthians 8:13). He gave the same advice to the believers in Rome: “It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother to fall.” (Romans 14:21).
All this is consistent with the warning Jesus gave to his disciples. I can think of many things that may be right and good and permissible (even helpful) in themselves, but which I refrain from participating in because of Jesus’ warning and Paul’s timely advice. Most times it is a very minor ‘sacrifice’ to make compared with the benefit of helping brothers or sisters in their spritual journey! Those of us who are teachers, parents, grandparents, or in other positions of leadership or influence have a particular duty of care to constantly ‘think through’ our behaviour and example in the light of Jesus’ warning.
“Take time to be holy, speak oft with the Lord; abide in him always, and feed on his Word. Make friends of God’s children, help those who are weak, forgetting in nothing his blessing to seek. Take time to be holy, this world rushes on; spend much time in secret, with Jesus alone. By looking to Jesus, like him thou shalt be; thy friends in thy conduct his likeness shall see”(William Longstaff).
– Bruce Christian
