The last thing I want to do is scare people. I had initially planned to stick to topical posts like yesterday’s but this is what’s weighing my heart down.
“But suppose the servant says to himself, ‘My master is taking a long time in coming,’ and he then begins to beat the other servants, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk. 46 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.
47 “The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows. 48 But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.”
Luke 12:45-48
From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. – This verse has made a profound impact on the way I see things and for this reason, though I have been in WP since June of 2016, I have less than 300 followers. That is the number of people who decided to subscribe to my blog and that is the number of souls God has allowed me to be a part of without any manipulation on my part. If God desires to add to that number, that is entirely up to Him.
What has God given you?
Some people, not all, aggressively pursue increasing their following and influence within a short period of time. Doing that is not necessarily bad. I am not discounting people’s good intentions, but if you profess to be a Christian and publish content that can make people stumble, if we are to apply this principle – From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded, it could also mean that depending on the number of people you have in your sphere of influence, in the same manner will you be accountable of all the souls you have caused or cause to stumble. At one point, there was a professing Christian who had the audacity to post a naked picture of his rear end!
Causing to Stumble
“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. 7 Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come! 8 If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.”
Matthew 18:6-9
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. – Such strong words from the LORD! He gave His life to redeem us and those who have accepted His atoning sacrifice is covered- sins from the past, present and future with continual repentance. We are saved to reflect His holiness (Titus 2:11-14), not cause our brothers and sisters to revert to the ways of the old self. Doing that is setting ourselves up against God (James 4:4) and denying the Lord who bought us.
“These people are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them. 18 For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of the flesh, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error. 19 They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity—for “people are slaves to whatever has mastered them.” 20 If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning.”
2 Peter 2:17-20
Christian, are you causing your neighbor to stumble (lust, anger, hate, envy, gossip/slander)? Some people you cause to stumble may not even know Jesus yet. If they die in that state of sin, God will hold you accountable. This post is not meant to condemn. If we judge ourselves, we will not be judged. Jesus loves you and if you are causing others to stumble, REPENT and you will be restored.
How many people look to you as an example?
Are you leading them to the path of holiness?
“For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”
Galatians 5:13
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