Pathway To Destruction. 5/27/2018

Good Morning,

It's early on Sunday Morning and my eyes are not focused just yet. My sense of smell is just fine and I can pick up the aroma of my Door County Hazelnut Crème Coffee coming from the kitchen. It has the makings of a great day ahead.

Yesterday I talked about the goal of God to lead us away from temptation and keep us on the correct path of righteousness.  I promised a sequel to yesterdays blog and I will get right down to it.

Romans 14:13-15 English Standard Version (ESV)

Do Not Cause Another to Stumble

¹³ Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. ¹⁴ I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean. ¹⁵ For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died.

A life path that seems harmless for some is a path that could head someone else down the identical path, but with disastrous results. For instance, there are some folks who gamble casually and can afford to do so. A few dollars lost really doesn't matter to them. For these folks gambling is a social activity. Now, for some who cannot afford to lose money when they gamble, the promise of instant money just seems to be a toss of the dice away. But that pay day doesn't come and many people lose much more money than they can afford to lose. They gamble on that big win that just seems to elude them. So if I were to be seen gambling by my friends they might justify their addiction by my actions. If I gamble and lose I am also supporting an organization that doesn't ask the gambler if the kids have milk at home. Any way you look at it, my path of gambling could cause a brother or sister to stumble.

Our life path choices may have a direct or indirect impression on the life path choices of others. We are then in direct violation of what God is trying to do in their lives. That last thing we should want to do or even try to do is to mess with the path God is leading someone to. God has very little patience in this area.

Matthew 18:6 New International Version (NIV)

Causing to Stumble

⁶ “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 hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.

So each of us should examine the path we are on and see the impact our path could have on the destination of others. Good thing to ponder on a Sunday!

Marty