Yesterday, I Made Someone Stumble

Yesterday, I Made Someone Stumble

2 Corinthians 6:3-10

As I continue to dig deeper into the characteristics of Christ, oh how I realize that I am a serious …

WORK in PROGRESS! 

 Just yesterday I made someone stumble in their walk.  I can honestly say that I probably cause someone to stumble in their walk everyday because of my actions.  Don’t get me wrong.  My actions are not bad like stealing or murder but not being Christ-like to my children is just as bad.  However, when we sin it doesn’t matter the sin.  It is still sin in God’s eyes.  We are the ones who put it on a scale of severity.  

Do you ever notice that you tend to have less patience with those closest to you?  You tend to expect more from them than you do your co-workers.  You want them to be able to read your mind at all times.  Well, life doesn’t work that way, unfortunately.  Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 6:3 about his hardships.  He tells us that “we put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited.”  Looking at the past week, is your ministry being discredited?  We all have a ministry.  If you call yourself a Christian, then you are also called to be a missionary, so you have a ministry.  If you don’t know what it is take time today asking God what it is He wants you to do for Him.  It may be in your home, your work place, your child’s school or sports team.  It could be in your neighborhood or even in your church.  

Paul goes on to say in verses 4-10 “4Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; 5in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; 6in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; 7in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; 8through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; 9known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; 10sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.”  We are called to be different than the world and with that comes a commitment to God.  We are to be intentional everyday in our actions.  We must be mindful of what our actions say to those around us.  

Yesterday, I made someone stumble …. 

my children.  

My actions towards them was not Christ-like.  I fussed at them because I was trying to get something done.   They were bored.  They said they had nothing to do.  I find that I am less patient when I have a list of things to do and feel pressed to get them done.  And in all reality, those things needed to be done yesterday.  BUT, I should not have fussed at them like I did.  Do you ever have those moments that it comes out of your mouth in such a way that the look on their little faces says it all?  Maybe the majority of people do the same thing but I want to be different than the majority.  Do you?

So today, when you are in a stressful situation think about how you should respond to those around you.  Will you show patience in that situation?  Will you be able to handle the difficult situation involving someone else without making demands or conditions?  In Romans 12:12, we are to “be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”  Persevere today!  Don’t cause someone to stumble!  

Prayer: Father, help me to think before I react today.  I know that there will be times today that I will encounter a difficult or stressful situation, bring to mind the words of Paul.  May I not be a stumbling block to those around me.  In Jesus Name I Pray, Amen.