Going Postal

Mark 9:42-50

Why would you cause anyone to stumble?

“If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea. If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and to be thrown into hell., And if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and to be thrown into hell, where their worm never dies, and the fire is never quenched. "For everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good; but if salt has lost its saltiness, how can you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another." - Mark 9:42-50

When Jesus talks about causing someone to stumble, he is saying causing them to turn away from their faith.

This changes the picture for me. It is not like sticking out a foot in grade school and tripping the bully in the class. This is convincing someone the path they are on is BS.

And the thing is, you don't have to intend to do that. You could just be mad at the world and decide to complain about God or Jesus. I'm sure it applies to other religions too, though Jesus wasn't specifically mentioning them.

Any words or actions that turn people away from God qualify as causing someone to stumble if they listen to your message and believe it.

Now, think about your recent posts on social media and ask yourself, "Am I doing that?" "Am I causing someone to question his or her beliefs?"

When it comes to politics, that is exactly what you are trying to do. But that isn't belief in God, so it's okay, right?

Maybe. Maybe not.

The problem is providing cause and effect. If I tell you a certain medication will kill you and you stop taking it and get a stroke, did I cause that?

There is no real penalty for causing someone to doubt and act on that doubt.

If I stop you from crossing the street as a truck goes by and it misses you, I save your life. There is cause and effect. But how do we prove the opposite?

If I tell you it is okay to cross and a truck hits you, is that my fault or yours?

The apostles could have challenged Jesus, saying, "But, Lord, isn't a person responsible for their own actions?"

"Yes," he would say. "But these little ones don't know responsibility yet."

More to come...