Causing Others to Fall Away

A familiar passage in Matthew 18:5-10 warns us not to cause little ones, humble believers in Christ to stumble. That is not refering to leading someone astray into dancing or card-playing as is sometimes preached, but genuine sin, sin that would lead someone out of the kingdom of heaven. It refers to causing someone to fall away from faith and the gospel. None of us wants to be responsible for such a grievous harm. How can we avoid it?

1) Be Hospitable: Jesus, gave his first clue by saying that we ought to receive the little ones, the humble people who have faith in him. I for one, am quite guilty of not doing this very thing, because I find so many such people to be totally off-putting. How about you? Do we receive someone who has a slant on Christianity that we find to be totally obnoxious or even wrong in our eyes? Do we look at their faith in Christ and receive them for that alone? Jesus gave no slant except that they are humble and believe in him.

Jesus said that if we welcome those who put their faith in him, we welcome him. Wow! What about that Catholic down the street, who prays the rosary daily? What about that over the top Pentecostal who is always naming it and claiming it? What about that Puritan who is so tight that he could turn coal into diamonds? What about that loosey goosey liberal pinko who seems to believe that just about anything goes? Many of us know people of all these descriptions who also love Jesus. Do we accept them?

2) Not Tempting: A second clue that Jesus gives is not tempting these little ones, these humble Christians to sin. Yet, none of us would surely do that would we? There are thousands of ways that any of us could cause a humble, faithful person to fall away from Christ, starting with the very smallest of offenses.

3) Don't Look Down on Them: Wow! Does that convict you like it does me? Do I look down on a number of people who believe in Jesus? Yes. Do you? I'm sure I'm not alone. Jesus is not saying that we should accept heresy, or that anything goes. What he is saying is that we ought to accept the person, even as we may reject their doctrine. Why should we not look down on even heretics or othewise wacky people who believe in Jesus? Because Jesus said that such humble believers have guardian angels and their angels are always in the presence of our heavenly Father. Wow!