Don't Cause Others To Sin - Friday Praise & Pray (for others) January 12, 2024

No matter how often we read the Bible, there will always be a nugget in there that is mind-blowing. One such verse is 1 Corinthians 10:32 - Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God.

I'd previously learned to not cause a fellow believer to stumble in their walk with God (1 Corinthians 8:13). However, this verse implied something new (at least to me) - that I have a similar responsibility to nonbelievers. And that was astounding.

Imagine there's a self-professed Christian on social media with a sizable following. Let's call her Alice. She occasionally shares stories about her faith and experiences as a believer. Maisha is a young girl who is inspired by Alice and follows along with the daily scriptures she shares. Although an atheist, she likes how Alice relies on scripture to stay calm while navigating challenges.

One day, Maisha sees Alice at the local farmer's market. Wide-eyed and excited, she hurries to thank Alice for encouraging her to consider Christ. Alas, in her haste, she trips, spilling her nachos, covered in dip and cheese, all over Alicia's white shoes. Understandably upset, the influencer screams in horror at the state of her shoes. As Maisha stutters an apology, Alicia shouts a string of profane insults. She then shoves the fan out of her way and saunters off. Maisha doesn't hold back either, firing salvo after salvo of curse words. She catches up with Alice, grabs her hair, and soon, both come to blows.

Dan, a fellow shopper, livestreams the entire incident and comments flood in. They range from insulting both girls to saying disparaging things about Christians, and even God.

This scenario may seem overly dramatic but the probability of this happening is high in a world filled with angry people who are easily triggered. And I see exactly how today's scripture comes into play in such a situation.

Alicia's inability to keep her cool caused her to speak to Maisha in anger and disrespectfully. This violates the instruction to Christians to do all they can to be at peace with others (Romans 12:18). Maisha, an atheist, reacted in kind thereby sinning by using coarse language, something the Bible instructs people not to do (Ephesians 4:29). The fighting is problematic because Jesus said in Matthew 5:39 - But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. He didn't encourage people to get into fights. Dan, amused by the mess of it all, had no care for either girl's welfare (Ephesians 4:32). Instead of stopping the fight, he created an opportunity for people to insult and slander both girls, Christianity and even the Lord (Proverbs 10:18). God despises slander and will silence those who do it (Psalm 101:5).

This illustration is a reminder that believers need to be careful. We must remember that just because we can do something or are justified in doing something doesn't mean we should. We have a responsibility to others and our behavior is key. What we choose to do or not do can influence others and if we influence others to sin, that is not a good thing.

Listen, all of us will make mistakes but if we rely on God, Jesus, and His Holy Spirit, we will receive the help needed to make the right choices at the right time so as not to be the reason why people sin. May the Lord help us, IJMN.