If anyone reading today’s piece were to be asked, ‘did you cause anyone to sin today or lead anyone into temptation?’, I am absolutely certain that 99% of responders would categorically say NO. And until I reflected upon the scripture background for today’s piece, I would probably have been one of the 99%.
Most days, I am minding my business and going about my tasks without interacting too much….how can I make others sin? I take full responsibility for my own sins, but the sins of others? Pleeaase… Each man to himself, everyone is responsible for their own actions and will answer to their God at the end of their life, right?
Not so. Many times in any given day, most of us are causing others to speak or act wrongly by our choice of words and actions or lack thereof. By the things we say and do and by the things we omit to say and do; sins of comission and sins of omission. This thought first occurred to me a while back when I read the advice of Apostle Paul to the Romans (14:15, 20-21), warning them to live in a manner that would not be an obstacle to other Christians with regards to the food they eat. I remember being slightly baffled at first at the idea of the literary translation that I could not eat whatever I wanted if it would upset someone around me.
Further study caused me some more consternation: Living in a manner that will not be an obstacle to other Christians means although I have a right to do whatever I want or eat what I want, if it will cause the distress of another Christian, I must keep in mind that Christ died for that person and wants that person on board with Him. Because of my love of Christ and appreciation for His sacrifice, I must refrain from doing anything that will discourage that person, impact them negatively or cause them to stall in their spiritual life. In essence, I am not to think about my own satisfaction and happiness alone when making a decision, but I must dwell more on how it affects those around me.
This goes against common sense and the primordial instinct of self-preservation. Anyone who has read my previous post on peace, (Peace, Precious Peace), will remember that I wrote that I guard my peace very jealously. In doing that, I have veered towards building a wall around that peace, by coaching myself to be indifferent to perceived affronts or people who disturb my peace and making choices that seemingly don’t disturb my peace. So one can only imagine how much I have struggled with the conclusion that I can actually be faulted for doing what is technically right, only because that decision may disturb another man’s walk with Christ.
You see, building a wall around our emotions during our interactions with others is not what the Word of God teaches, the same wall we have built to protect our sensibilities will prevent the free flow of graces from others into our lives. And because I can never know who God wants to use in my life for the dispensation of any grace (either to me or to that person), I could in fact be inadvertently a hindrance to God’s work of salvation and the Holy Spirit’s mission of sanctification.
Now imagine that happening on a day when I had prayed vigorously in the morning for God to remove all obstacles and hindrances to my blessings for that day! Physician, heal thyself!! I have come to a personal conclusion that God has a sense of humor or at least that He can be quite ironical. He frequently allows the chickens to come home to roost. The things we look down upon in others have a way of being revealed in our lives or the lives of our loved ones. Our perfectionism and spiritual pride is often exposed when we fall because of our conceit. And God allows these things to happen to us, His beloved, just because He wants us to be more empathetic rather than condemnatory of others. We call it purification , or becoming more like Christ….
So, I thank God for ongoing revelation of His character to His children. Because I had been so confident that building a wall around my emotions in order to protect my peace was the right thing to do. But now I see that even if an action is right or justifiable, it may not necessarily be to God’s glory. If my choice affects the ongoing work of Christ in another person’s life, I will be held responsible.
When I am looking out for my own peace of mind above the work of God progressing in my sister or brother’s life, I am in effect turning my mind into an idol that must be appeased at all costs. If I really want to be used for God’s purpose in the lives of others, it won’t be while I am sitting pretty in my comfort zone, doing the things that make me happy and keeping to myself.
‘Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food (choices), you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food (choices), the one for whom Christ died……Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of your food (choices)…..’ Romans 14:15, 20.
Dear Father, please help me to shed myself of my petty inclinations of self-interest for the ultimate goal of another person being received into your Kingdom. Let my priority in all my considerations be: a) The Cause of your son, Jesus; b) The worth of any soul to Christ. Amen.
Hilltop Thoughts, Valley Strengths 