Spiritual Amputation

 

Gory Enough for You?

An amputated hand. A severed foot. A gouged eye. Flesh-eating maggots. Unending  torture by fire.

 

If this is how Netflix describes a movie, I can promise you one thing…I’m NOT watching! And if that’s not gory enough for you, each one of these mutilations is…gulp…self-inflicted!

But here’s the deal. This isn’t the latest in the “Saw” franchise or some Rob Zombie horror flick. We’ve ripped this grisly description right out of the pages of the Bible. And before you starting thinking this is one of those brutal OT passages, think again. These are the words of none other than Jesus Himself!

Shock Therapy

It all goes down during a teachable moment our Savior has with His closest followers in the village of Capernaum. He’s not simply telling them a scary story around a campfire. He’s trying to shock them to realize the seriousness of the sin in their lives.

“If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one hand than to go into the unquenchable fires of hell with two hands. If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one foot than to be thrown into hell with two feet.

“If your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out. It’s better to enter the Kingdom of God with only one eye that have two eyes and be thrown into hell, ‘where maggots never die and the fire never goes out.’” (Mk 9:43-48).

Rather Colorful Language

Let’s be clear about one thing from Jump Street. Christ isn’t talking about literally chopping off extremities or popping out an eyeball. He’s using…shall we say…rather colorful language to get our attention. It’s hyperbole.

The Lord makes His ridiculous overstatement because He wants us to know that our sin is serious business. It’s a cancer that wrecks relationships, steals peace, jacks up joy, and ultimately delivers death everywhere it goes.

Self-Inflicted Sin

Worst of all, according to what our Savior says here, is that a large percentage of our sin is actually self-inflicted. THAT’S why He recommends these radical removal methods. Desperate times call for desperate measures.

Speaking of making radical cuts, you may notice that somebody has carved a couple of verses from this passage. Most of the older and more reliable versions of Mark’s Gospel don’t contain verses 46 and 48. Are you tracking with me? Cool.

The Hero from Heaven

Let’s zoom out a bit to get a little better view of what’s going on. A big chunk of Mark’s bio of Jesus to this point has been all about figuring out the identity of this radical Rabbi/Carpenter from Nazareth.

That all changes when Peter puts the pieces of the puzzle together and tells Jesus, “You are the Messiah” (Mk 8:29). This is the long-awaited Hero from heaven God has been promising to send to our rescue since our first parents took the bad advice of a satanic snake (Gen 3:15).

Not the Kind of Messiah They’re Expecting

Maybe you’re not all that familiar with the term Messiah. It’s the equivalent of the word Christ we see all throughout the NT. They mean exactly the same thing. In other words, Christ is NOT Jesus’ last name. It’s His title.

The Lord then goes on to tell His team that He’s NOT the kind of Messiah everybody’s expecting. Oh, He’s coming to our rescue and to righteously rule alright. But first He’s got a very specific job to do. He must suffer, be rejected and murdered by the religious leaders, and come strolling out of the cemetery three days later (Mk 8:31; 9:31).

A Mountaintop Meetup

Just to make sure the guys get the picture, Christ takes three of His disciples for a mountaintop meetup with Moses and Elijah (Mk 9:2-8). Not only does Jesus peel back the curtain of heaven and give them a glimpse of His glory, but God the Father drops the ultimate attaboy.

Our Savior and the Twelve travel back to the home office in Capernaum (Mk 9:33), a tiny fishing village on the north shore of Lake Galilee. There He gives them a lesson in God’s view of greatness. He flips the script to say first is last and servants are sit at the top of the org chart (Mk 9:35).

Let’s Play a Little Game

Jesus goes on to play a little game with the boys which we’ll call “Which Is Better?”. In other words, when you have a choice in certain situations, here’s the tip about which to pick. The first scenario is all about tripping up those with a tender trust in Him. He says it’s WAY better to go swimming with massive millstone necklace than let God get His hands on you (Mk 9:42).

Cut It off?!?!

Which brings us to our passage. If you think the Son of God went all gangster with the threat of cement shoes, check this out. “If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off” (v43). What the WHAT?!? Cut it off?!? How ‘bout washing it really well with soap and water? Wouldn’t that do the trick?

Surely a closer look at the original language provides the loopholes we need, right? First of all, let’s check out that phrase the NLT translates “causes you to sin.” This is the Greek verb σκανδαλιζω/skandalizo. It’s the source of our word “scandal.”

A Spiritual IED

This term means causing someone to stumble or tricking them into doing something wrong. And not just a little bobble or small slip. This is enticing them to do act in a way that causes them to keel over and toss away their trust in Christ once and for all.

Interestingly, it comes from a root word (Gr. σκανδαλον/skandalon) that describes the trip wire of a booby trap. Think of the horrific damage a roadside bomb does to a soldier.  Jesus is talking about a spiritual IED.

The Knucklehead in the Mirror

But this isn’t some malicious enemy plotting a deadly ambush. Christ says in this case the one who’s out to get me is the knucklehead looking back at my in the mirror each morning. “If YOUR hand causes YOU to sin…” (v43 emphasis added). This is a self-inflicted injury!

A Nasty Face Plant

Recently I was out for a power walk (that’s just language that means I’m too old to go for a run). As I picked up the pace, I caught my foot on a crack in the sidewalk. On the bright side, I didn’t break my mother’s back. The downside is I went down and went down HARD!

SPLAT!!! I did a nasty face plant on cement. It hurt. I mean REALLY hurt! My hands. My elbow. My hip. My knee. For about 24 hours, I thought I had broken my wrist. And it was nobody’s fault but mine.

Taking Myself out

That’s nothing compared to self-inflicted injuries we suffer from our own rebellion and disobedience. I’m NOT saying that the devil and his satanic toadies aren’t a clear and present danger. They are.

But can we be honest for just a moment? There are a lot of times they don’t have to lift an evil finger against me because I’ll take myself out! Now I know that’s probably not the case for you. You’ve left those issues in the rearview mirror. Yeah, that’s what I thought.

Slicing, Dicing, and Lopping It off

We’ve all got hand issues on some level. Some of us have a bad case of sticky fingers. Others are quick to put up our dukes. Who hasn’t seen drivers tell fellow commuters that “you’re number one!” with the middle digit.

Jesus’ way of solving our problem with hand-to-hand combat with ourselves is simple. “Cut it off” (v43). The Greek verb here (Gr. αποκοπτω/apokopto) means just that. He’s talking about slicing, dicing and lopping it off.

Galilean Chainsaw Massacre

It’s how John describes the time Pete whacks off a dude’s ear with sword at Jesus’ arrest (Jn 18:10, 26). Paul uses the same word in sarcastic description of cutting off the family jewels (Gal 5:12). I’m not kidding. You REALLY need to read your Bible.

So yeah, Christ IS advocating amputating…only figuratively. How can we be sure? Do you REALLY think that going all Galilean Chainsaw Massacre on your harmful hand will stop the other one from eventually doing the same thing? Didn't think so.

Murdering My Sin

John Piper says this is what some theologians call the mortification of sin. That’s a five-dollar seminary word that describes the spiritual battle each follower of Jesus faces with his or her flesh. I have no choice but to murder my sin.

We’ve gotta stop trying to manage our sin. That’s just rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. That’s a waste of time because this baby’s going down! Think of it as playing with a box of timber rattlers. It won’t be long until one of those suckers strikes you!!

Addition by Subtraction

This takes radical action. Ask God to show you what your core issue is. Chances are there’s a problem behind the problem. David pleads with his Creator for help, “Point out anything that offends You and lead me in the path of everlasting life” (Ps 139:24).

We can also ask fellow followers of Jesus what needs to go from your life. Hey, we’ve all got blind spots. Our true friends must be willing to honestly tell us the things in our lives that we need to hack off. Once we do, it’s addition by subtraction.

Spiritual Amputation

Jesus explains to the boys that, if we have to choose (and we do!), spiritual amputation is the way to go. “It’s better to enter eternal life with only one hand than to go to the unquenchable fires of hell with two hands” (v43).

The Most Wretched Place in the Universe

Before we dive deep into the Lord’s words, I want to give you a heads up. What you’re about to read isn’t for the faint of heart. He’s talking about the most vile, most nauseating, most wretched place in the universe. This sure ain’t Disney

World. It’s H-E-double-hockey-sticks.

I’ll be honest with you. I’d rather not talk about hell. Given the choice, I’d much rather chat it up about the eternal paradise God’s people will share with their Savior or even the possibility of a root canal. But the truth is, Jesus talks about hell more than anybody else in the entire Bible.

So gird up your loins, boys and girls. Whatever we think it’s like, it’s worse. WAY worse! That’s because hell is total separation from God and the punishment that goes along with His absence. Worst of all, the gates of this place are locked from the inside.

A Disgusting Dumpsite

There’s a pretty good chance your Bible will have a note at the bottom of the page that says something about “hell” actually being something called Gehenna. This was a disgusting dumpsite just outside the Jerusalem city gates.

Oh, but this isn’t your garden variety municipal landfill. Folks would chuck dead animal carcasses and even human corpses in Gehenna. Fires smoldered nonstop filling the air with the foul aroma of burning flesh. One whiff of that stench would turn your stomach.

A Churning Urn of Burning Funk

Let’s talk about those “unquenchable fires” (v43) for a minute. Just in case we gloss over them the first time, the Lord doubles down a little later when He paints a picture of the how the “fires never goes out” (v48).

Jesus also describes it as a place “where the maggots never die” (v48). I’ll bet His words make more than a few people throw up in their mouths just a little bit. He’s actually quoting from the very last written words of the prophet Isaiah (Is 66:24).

To borrow a lyric from Elvis, hell is a churning urn of burning funk. If that’s not bad enough. It. Never. Stops. And maggots. Don’t forget the maggots. Piper pulls no punches when it comes to the endlessness and hopelessness of this eternal nightmare. “Don’t think—don’t even let the thought linger in your head—that destruction means obliteration.”

Hell on Earth

On the other hand, some Bible experts believe Jesus isn’t actually talking about eternal punishment at all. He’s simply pointing to the garbage dump. Maybe they’re right. I kinda wish they were. But it sure seems like Christ uses it as a picture of hell on earth. Gehenna will seem like an all-inclusive resorts compared to the real deal.

Symbols of Something Worse

I can’t stand hell but I like how David Platt explains it. “You say, ‘Well, isn’t fire just an image in these passages? Aren’t these verses symbolic?’ Maybe. But if they are symbols, what are they symbols for? A wintry retreat or a summer vacation?

“No, these are symbols that stand for something so much worse. Surely burning fire and smoking sulfur are not symbols for a nice place to be. They are symbols for a terrifying place to be.”

When we take everything into consideration, Jesus tells the Twelve there’s really no choice. We’re better off heading to heaven with only one hand than spending the rest of time with both hands in the eternal broiler covered maggots. Yeah, I’m good with that.

Don’t Go to Those Places!

Ready for the next round of “Which Is Better”? Here we go. “If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off” (v45). I’m guessing you know how this goes now, right?

So how can my foot trip me up? Where do my tootsies take me that cause me big problems? Simply stated, where do I consistently go that trips me up and sends me down?

 

It reminds me of the old joke where the guy goes to the doctor.  The doc asks him to describe the problem. The patient says his arm hurts in two places. The doc’s response? “Don’t go to those places!”

Stop Playing Footsie

Stop playing footsie with stuff that you know is self-destructive. Make a 180 and get the heck outta Dodge! For instance, the Apostle Paul pulls no punches when it comes to anything that stokes the fires of your libido outside of marriage. “Run from sexual sin!” (1Cor 6:18).

If my feet are beating a path away from Christ, I need to make a change. And that change probably includes spiritual amputation. I can’t walk with Jesus if I’m walking in the opposite direction.

You’ll Shoot Your Eye out!

Time now for the final round our little game of “Which Is Better?” Sorry, but we don’t have any cool music like Final Jeopardy. That’s my bad.

The Lord warns against how what we look at can hurt us. “And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out” (v47). Anybody else immediately think of what Ralphie’s mom said to him in “A Christmas Story”?

What Steals Your Attention?

Forget the Red Ryder BB gun. My wandering eye is a much more dangerous weapon. What are you looking at? WHO are you looking at? What catches your eye and eventually steals your attention?

I’m not just talking about porn. But if that’s your deal, you need to stop. I hear stories almost every single day from both men and women of how this garbage destroys marriages.

There are so many other things we look at that, if we’re not careful, we turn into idols. Put your phone down. Close the laptop. Turn off the TV. Shut down Netflix. I’m not saying these are evil in and of themselves. But when they dominate our lives, we’ve got a problem.

The Bird Box Challenge

What does Jesus tell us to do? Let’s just say you get three guesses and the first two don’t count. “It’s better to enter the Kingdom of God with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell” (v47). You probably saw that one coming…even if you just using one eye.

So what should be our focus instead? We can’t simply take the Bird Box Challenge 24/7. The writer of Hebrews has a great suggestion. Look at the Lord. “We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the Champion who initiates and perfects our faith” (Heb 12:2).

Meditate on Christ. Think about Him. Flip open your Bible and look for passages that describe His love, His grace, and all He’s done for you. Fill your field of vision with the One who left the comforts of heaven and came to our rescue!

Spiritual Surgery

So what needs to be amputated from your life? Here’s another great point from Hebrews. Allow God to do the spiritual surgery necessary in our lives. God’s Spirit uses the scalpel of God’s Word to perfectly slice and dice our sin.

“For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires” (Heb 4:12).

An Elective Procedure

Through Scripture, the Lord does laser surgery on His followers. Don’t wait to make an appointment with the Great Physician. That happens when we open His Word so that He can open our hearts and minds.

A couple of things to know about these operations. First of all, spiritual surgery is an elective procedure. God only goes to work on us when we’re willing patients. Secondly, He’s already picked up your co-pay!

The Seriousness of Self-Destruction

All Jesus’ talk of severing limbs, gouging eyes, never-ending flames, and flesh-eating maggots is disturbing. But that’s EXACTLY His point. He wants to realize the seriousness of our self-destruction.

The Son of God has something so much better for us than all this. He came to bring us a life so amazing that we can’t wrap our heads around it (Jn 10:10). It’s everlasting life. But best of all, that life actually starts on this side of eternity!

In the meantime, let me ask you a question. Need to consider a little spiritual amputation?

©2019

Jay Jennings

Going All Gangster

The Chicago Overcoat

If you’re a fan of gangster movies, you know what it means to go swimming in cement shoes. There’s also the infamous Chicago overcoat. No, these aren’t the latest in men’s fashion. Instead, they’re mafia methods to make someone disappear forever.

It goes a little something like this. Criminals attach some form of concrete to their enemies and chuck them into a body of water. Oh, and did I forget? They would do this while you still alive.

Going All Gangster

Not even Michael Phelps is a strong enough swimmer to survive. The massive weight drags you to the bottom, never to be seen again. Pretty gruesome, don’t you think?

Did you realize that Jesus actually threatens to do something even worse? In a conversation with His crew, Christ warns against getting in the way of someone’s trust in Him. When God gets done with the offending party, he’ll wish he’d gone swimming in cement shoes (Mk 9:42).

Yup. That’s right. I guess we can say the Son of God is prepared to go all gangster.

A Conversation with Christ

This threat comes as our Savior and His personal posse are meeting in Capernaum, the quiet fishing village on the northern shore of Lake Galilee (Mk 9:33). He starts the discussion by setting the boys straight on how God sees greatness. First is last. The lowest servant is the greatest leader (Mk 9:34-35).

Jesus then hugs a small child in front of His team and tells them anytime we open our lives to those who can’t do anything for us, we’re throwing out the welcome mat to both the Son of God and His Dad as well (Mk 9:36-37).

Competition in the Kingdom

That leads to a VERY awkward moment in the conversation. John brags to the Lord about the time the disciples shut down some dude who had the gall to drive out demons in Jesus’ name while not being on the active roster of the Twelve (Mk 9:38).

But Christ tells the guys there’s no competition in God’s kingdom. Anytime we see someone loving people and pointing them to Him, we should never stop never stopping them (Mk 9:39-41).

Dead Weight and Deep Sea Diving

Which leads us to Jesus’ rather menacing comment about dead weight and deep sea diving. “But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in Me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone hung around your neck” (v42).

A Very Big Point

First of all, we need to know just who are “these little ones” He’s talking about. This is actually the Greek word μικρος/mikros. It’s actually where we get our term “micro.” You know, like microscope and microprocessor.

You don’t have to have a PhD in biblical languages to know this word means tiny or small. In other words, just like the kiddo He’s just wrapped His loving arms around (Mk 9:36-37). He’s about to make a very big point about “these little ones” (v42).

A Vulnerable Faith

Just like in that passage, it’s easy to think Christ is simply talking about small children. He is…but WAY more than just them. According to Heinrich Meyer, this is Jesus’ way of describing anyone who has a modest, simple, and vulnerable faith.

David Garland puts it like this. These are the people on the fringe. The ones no one misses when they’re not there. The ones who are tolerated but not embraced. You may heard people describe some folks as “EGR.” You know, Extra Grace Required.

Jesus wants us to know there are no insignificant believers in His eyes. Every single one has unspeakable value. Nobody cares more for them more than He does. How we treat “these little ones” (v42) is a BIG deal!

You. Me. Us. Them.

Our Savior gets a little more specific when He describes these particular spiritual kids as those “who trusts in Me” (v42). He’s talking about those who have a tender or simple faith in Him, just like a small child who readily and willingly trusts in Jesus to take care of them and do what’s best for them.

The Lord encourages children of all ages to have a childlike faith in Him (Mt 18:3, 14; Mk 10:15; Lk 18:17). The old Sunday school song is right. Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world. You. Me. Us. Them.

Believing in Jesus

So just what does it mean to trust in Christ? We throw that idea around a lot without much explanation. This is probably a good spot to pull over and unpack the concept of believing in Jesus.

First of all, it’s NOT about the strength of our faith. I mean, how strong is a small child anyway? It’s pretty easy to bully them into giving away what they have. But this is way more than stealing their lunch money. Since that’s the point of Jesus’ warning here, we’ll get back to that in just a moment.

The Object of Our Faith

It’s all about the object of our faith, not the amount of faith we can scrounge up. For instance, I can have all the faith in the world that I can start at center for Lakers. But that’s NEVER happening for this 5-foot-10, 60-year-old with the vertical leap of a hippo.

It’s about WHOM we trust. And there’s no better WHOM than Jesus. I trust that He lived the perfect life of obedience to God’s law that I’ve failed to live. I trust He died the brutal death for my sin that I should have died. I trust that He rose to the glorious new life that I don’t deserve.

The Great Exchange

My trust in Him doesn’t stop there. I place my complete confidence in Christ as the Lord of my life. That means doing what He says, knowing that He’s leading me with love and wants what’s best for me.

A guy named Paul makes the point that when place our total trust in God’s sinless Son, He exchanges our disobedience and rebellion for His goodness and perfection (2Cor 5:21). It’s been called the Great Exchange. Sure seems like a massive understatement.

God Never Lets Go

And get this, Jesus knows my own trust in Him will wobble and fail. That’s why Paul reassures fellow followers about our not-so-steady walk of faith. “If we are unfaithful, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny who He is” (2Tim 2:13). God NEVER let’s go of me, no matter how many times I fail.

Tossing Away Our Trust

Now that we have a handle on who the children are and what it means to believe in Jesus, the Lord warns us against causing them “to fall into sin” (v42). This isn’t the usual word we see in the NT for sinning or falling short of God’s standard.

The Greek verb here is σκανδαλιζω/skandalizo, which means to cause another person to stumble or lead someone into something wrong. And not just a little oopsie. This is enticing them to do something that causes them to keel over and toss away their trust in Christ once and for all.

A Spiritual Landmine

It comes from a root word (Gr. σκανδαλον/skandalon) which describes the trigger or trip wire of a booby trap or a stumbling block. This isn’t just stubbing your toe. It’s a hidden object like rock that you causes you to face plant. Think of it as a spiritual landmine hidden to do eternal harm.

And if you’ve been following along in the story, causing someone young in their faith to self-destruct is exactly the opposite of receiving them with open arms (Mk 9:37). Jesus will also use σκανδαλιζω/skandalizo in His rather gory description of spiritual amputation (Mk 9:42, 44, 47). So we might want to keep this handy.

A Tender Trust

 

So there you have it. Jesus warns anyone who tempts and terrorizes those with a tender trust in Him. The Message version cuts to the chase. “If you give one of these simple, childlike believers a hard time, bullying or taking advantage of their simple trust, you’ll soon wish you hadn’t” (v42 The Message).

Whoa. Can’t say we haven’t been warned. I don’t know about you but it makes me slam the brakes and wonder if and when I may have bulldozed folks with a fragile faith in Jesus. How ‘bout you?

It Would Be Better for You…

If so, the Lord lays it all out for us. “It would be better for you to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone hung around your neck” (v42 emphasis mine). Gulp. Trust me. It’s right there IN THE BIBLE!

It can’t mean that, right? Shouldn’t this be one of those times when digging into the original language actually reveals our Savior’s softer, gentler side? Yeah, good luck with that. Sure, I’ll bite. Let’s see what it says.

A Donkey Stone

We probably should start with that whole millstone thing, don’t you think? This is actually a pair of Greek words. The first is μυλος/mulos and describes the large, flat, EXTREMELY heavy stone you’d find in a mill to grind the grain.

The second word (Gr. οινικος/onikos) just reinforces the massive size and weight of this stone. It literally means “of a donkey.” The mill actually has two stones. There’s a smaller one on the bottom. On top, is one that’s such a monster that you need livestock in order to turn it. That’s the one that does the pulverizing.

Jesus is talking about that upper, bigger millstone. How big? There’s archeological evidence that these were as large as four to five feet in diameter. “Millstone of a donkey” is right. That’s a big ass stone!! (Oops, did I actually type that?!?)

A Two-Ton Necklace

But before we try to find a spotter and lift that bad boy, this won’t be a traditional workout with free weights. So put down the bar. This sucker will be “hung around your neck” (v42).

I’m not sure if your head goes through some hole in the center or if they may tie it to a rope or chain like a two-ton necklace. The phrasing here simply paints a ponderous picture of wearing something all the way around your neck. It puts the sink in synchronized swimming.

A Limestone Life Preserver

If you’re a baseball fan, you know how a player who goes hitless wears the collar. Let’s just say you’ll wish you had a bad day at the plate compared to this!

Once they fit you with your new neckwear, you’ll be “thrown into the sea” (v42). This is where that whole idea of swimming in cement shoes comes in. It’s basically like someone handcuffing you to a limestone life preserver and tossing you into the deep end from the high dive.

A Common Form of Capital Punishment

So where in the world did Jesus get whole millstone-man-overboard idea? Apparently this is form of capital punishment is all the rage back in the First Century. While there’s no evidence the Jews used it, the Greeks, Romans, and Syrians sure did.

As a matter of fact, some historians believe that’s exactly what happened to a rebel leader named Judas of Galilee. Gamaliel mentions how Rome snuffed him out in Acts 5:37. He would have gone deep sea diving against his will around 6 AD, so other Galileans like Jesus and the Twelve would know all about it.

The Better Option

Even if that’s not what Christ is talking about, the boys certainly get the picture. Remember, they’re in the fishing village of Capernaum when this conversation takes place. Most of them make their living on the water. The huge freshwater lake known as the Sea of Galilee is right outside the window.

They have no doubt that it won’t be pretty if someone makes the mistake of coming between God and His relationship with one of His more vulnerable followers. I don’t know about you but drowning seems like one of the most terrifying ways to go.

But here’s the deal. This is the better option than letting God get His hands on you. Think about that for just a minute. When we realize what our Creator is going to do, we’ll actually slip on the millstone choker and take a long run off a short pier without any encouragement.

The Best Big Brother

That’s exactly how much the Almighty cares about the not-so-mighty. It’s just how He rolls. He loves going against conventional wisdom by working through weak (1Cor 1:26-27). At His coming out party, Jesus says His Dad sent Him for the express purpose of rescuing the poor, the prisoners, the disabled, and downtrodden (Lk 6:18-19).

If that’s you, how great is it to know the Son of God has got your back! The best Big Brother in the history of the universe promises to handle any bully who pushes you around on this playground we call Planet Earth.

Caring for Our Kids

So if our Savior promises to protect “these little ones” (v42), shouldn’t we do the same? Darn tootin’. First of all, let’s start with the children He’s placed into our care, both in the family and in the local church.

As parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles, we need to keep a watchful eye on our kids. That doesn’t mean duct-taping them in bubblewrap but only exposing them age appropriate activities. And all along the way, let’s be incredibly intentional in telling them all about the One who loves them even more than we do.

For the children God has entrusted to us in our churches, let’s go out of our way to make sure they are safe. What security measures do we have in place so that parents have peace of mind? Do we screen our leaders?

Spraying Spiritual Roundup

Beyond that, how do you respond to those who have a tender trust in Jesus? Are you protective of their faith? Do you simply ignore their vulnerability and do what you want?

In a letter to new believers at a church in Corinth, Paul warns we should not do anything could potentially trip up those who are newer in their journey with Jesus (1Cor 8:9-13). Too many times we spray spiritual Roundup when we should provide them protection like a greenhouse so they can grow and flourish.

God’s Got This

Let me be VERY clear about one thing. Jesus is NOT telling us to make sure we have a handy dandy supply of millstones and a few bags of Quikrete in the storage closet. When it comes to the punishment, He’s got this.

In the lyrics of one scriptural tune, the songwriter asks God to protect those who can't protect themselves. “Give justice to the poor and the orphan; uphold the rights of the oppressed and the destitute. Rescue the poor and helpless; deliver them from the grasp of evil people” (Ps 82:3-4).

When the Lord comes to their rescue, He promises to punish those cause them pain. If you think going swimming with cement shoes sounds awful, think again. It’s the better choice compared to what God will do when He goes all gangster.

©2019

Jay Jennings