“If anyone causes one of these little ones-those who believe in me-to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone tied around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.  Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble!  Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come.  If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away.  It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands and two feet and be thrown into eternal fire.  Matthew 18:6-8  NIV

Chapter 18 in the book of Matthew begins with one of the disciples asking Jesus who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.  Jesus calls a child over and explains to the disciples that unless they change and become like a little child they will not enter the kingdom of heaven.  Jesus made it very clear in the Bible that He loved children.  He made it clear in this scripture passage that unless they assume the lowly position of small children that they would not enter heaven.

What we know about children is that they believe.  They readily believe in Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny.  If they are taught about Jesus, they readily believe in Him.  I was blessed to work with the Cubbies (3-4 year olds) in AWANA.  I thoroughly enjoyed watching them learn scripture passage and I loved the way they embraced learning all about Jesus and the love they showed for Him.  I thank God that I had the opportunity to spend that time with them.  I often left class feeling that I had learned more than I had taught.

One day when I had my little niece with me, who attended our AWANA classes, she said, “Aunt Val, I just love God.”  I told her that I was glad she loved God and that I did too because He was so good to us.  She then responded by saying,  “I bet that when Jesus heard us say that that he looked down from heaven and said, ‘Aw, I love them too!'”  I love the simplicity of a child’s love for  Christ.  I love the simplicity of a child’s belief in God.  As a child my mom raised me in church and I was so glad she did.  I was happy to soak up Bible stories like a sponge.  I accepted the love that God had for me without question.

Now in this scripture passage, Jesus tells the disciples that it would be terrible for someone to cause these children to stumble.  As a believer, I have had to maintain or return to my childhood a bit.  Not that I am complaining, I am one of those who never really wanted to grow up.  But children rely on their parents and/or guardians to provide for them and keep them safe.  They trust their caretakers.  I never worried about if or what I would eat.  I knew that my mom and dad would take care of that.  I never worried about whether or not I would have clothes to wear, I knew my mom and dad would take care of that.  Now, I realize that all children are not so fortunate and some children live in homes where they can’t trust their parents or guardians or rely on them to take care of them, but woe unto these parents.  This scripture tells us woe unto anyone that mistreats a child or causes a child or a fellow believer to stumble.

Now Romans 3:23 tells us that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.  We are human beings.  At times, we are all going to stumble.  We must be very careful not to cause others to stumble.  Whether we realize it or not we influence others.  Perhaps it is a child, or a family member, or a co-worker.  We exert influence over someone in our lives and we must be very careful that this is a positive influence.

This scripture passage tells us that we would be better to have a heavy stone tied around our neck and be thrown into the sea than to negatively influence a believer.  It goes on to say that we would be better to cut our hand off if it causes us to cause someone to stumble.  Better to cut our foot off it is causes us to cause someone to stumble or better to gouge our eye out if it causes us to cause someone to stumble.  Better to enter life (or eternal life in heaven) maimed or crippled or blind than to be thrown into the fire (hell).

Whether you realize it or not, your witness is a very powerful thing.  There are those around you who are non-believers.  There are those around you that aren’t sure what they believe.  There are those around you who believe but need guidance to live in a close relationship with God.  So today, please take a minute to think about what they see in you.  Do they see a child like innocence and faith or do they see the hardened heart of someone who has failed to trust God to properly take care of their needs?

A child should be able to trust in their parents to take good care of them and to protect them.  That isn’t always the case but we, as children of God, can trust in Him to provide for our every need and to keep us safe.

My prayer for you today is that you have been able to return to an awesome childhood as  a child of God.  No matter what your childhood may have been like, it’s not too late for you to realize your position in the family of God.  It’s not too late for you to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and it’s not too late for you to experience the comfort, safety, peace and joy that comes from being a child of God.  So, even if you didn’t have a very good childhood, you can now.  Even if your parents were neglectful or abusive, you have a parent now that will never leave you nor forsake you.  With God you have no reason to fear for He is with you (Deuteronomy 31:6).  I encourage you today to allow yourself to be adopted into the Kingdom of God.  Allow yourself to enjoy the comfort, peace, and joy that comes from being a son or daughter of the King of Kings.

But most importantly, whatever you do, don’t allow yourself to cause another believer to stumble.  Be very careful to not let Satan lure you away from a parent that loves you enough to give His son for you (John 3:16).  Just as a child predator may lure a child away with a puppy or an ice cream cone, Satan makes sin look really good and enjoyable.  It’s after he lures you away that you realize the trouble you are in.  Be very careful not to let temptation drive a wedge between you and your heavenly Father.  Be careful not to negatively influence others. Pay careful attention to your witness.  I know there are times when I forget how truly important my witness is to others.  I forget that God is counting on me to represent Him well as His child.  Please join me in trying to be more mindful of the influence that we exert on others even when we don’t realize it.

Have a great day!