Get Rid of the Stumbling Block!

Matthew 18 begins with the disciples asking Jesus who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. It's always been a little funny to me how concerned the disciples seemed to be over the status of everyone in God's kingdom. Jesus sets them straight each time, and in this instance uses a child as an object lesson, telling them that you need to be like a child or you will never get into the kingdom. It is the humble, Jesus says, that is the greatest in the kingdom.

He then goes on to say that anyone who causes "one such child" to stumble would be better off having a great millstone fastened to his neck and drowned. Contrary to the way this verse is used out of context, the "one such child" is not referring to literal children. The context of the passage makes it clear this refers to disciples of Christ. And why the millstone? The context is Jesus talking about receiving a disciple in his name. Someone who causes a disciple to stumble would be rejecting Jesus. In other words, the rejector is headed to somewhere worse than being drowned with a millstone: hell.

Next comes the verse that I read recently that made me think: "Woe to the world because of its stumbling blocks! For it is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to that man through whom the stumbling block comes!" (Matthew 18:7). Woe is a term that announces judgment. The gospels often talk of the world as broken and in need of salvation (John 3:16), but here Jesus announces woe to the world because of it causing people to stumble. To stumble means to sin. As Jesus notes, stumbling blocks, temptations to sin, are inevitable. But woe to those that lay them down in front of people!

We live in a world full of stumbling blocks. Often these stumbling blocks are not only laid down to fall over, but praised. Many stumbling blocks are called good and right and brave. I thought of Romans 1:29-32, which says of the unrighteous, "being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them." Sin is lauded and praised. Sin is declared good. Sin is called normal and right. And many stumble because they have been led to the stumbling block.

This begs the question, am I in any way placing a stumbling block in someone's path? Are you? Taking Romans 1:29-32 as our examples, we ask these questions:

Do we engage others in gossip? Do we eagerly join in and listen to gossip?

Do we slander others? Do we like statuses where people slander others?
Do we act prideful, looking down on others? Do we commiserate with other prideful people and put down those who aren't like us?
Do we disobey our parents? Do we encourage others to dishonor their parents?
Do we withhold love and mercy? Do we give a thumbs up to the harsh, unloving words and actions of others?

We need to evaluate our own lives. It's a hard question to ask, but one in light of Matthew 18:7 I believe must be asked. Do I hold a stumbling block in my hands? Have I set it in front of anyone? How can I remove it? Jesus was quite clear that we should do all we can to remove stumbling blocks. In hyperbole, Jesus says it would be better for us to cut off our hands or feet that cause us to sin or tear out our eyes than the be thrown in hell intact. I believe this is a call for us to evaluate ourselves and to do what it takes to remove sin from our lives. And to stop being a stumbling block causing others around us to sin.

Are you stumbling? Are you the source of the stumbling block? Today, throw it away. Today, get rid of the block. May it not be said of us that we are the source of someone's sin.