Stepping Stones
We live in a world where we are bombarded with “acceptable sins”. Almost anything is considered a “gray area” and totally appropriate in most Christian circles. The philosophy that we address amoral things as normal is pervasive in our current culture. Biblical truth is in direct contrast to this false viewpoint.
As moms, we take great pain to ensure our little ones understand right from wrong. It is not a relative thing. It is a God thing. He set the standard and they are unchangeable and inflexible. There is no altering what He has established. If we fail in our attempt to teach the difference to those following us (whether our children or people we are mentoring), we are called “stumbling blocks” and are guaranteed failure.
Where are the “gray areas in life? Any area that we consider “gray” will be revealed as good or evil when we stand before the judgement seat of Christ. II Cor. 5: 10 There are choices in life that are not clearly defined in Scripture as right or wrong and are left to our own discernment. We know that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. I John 1: 5 Gray is a mixture of darkness and light and therefore does not qualify as part of God’s realm. In fact, God condemns any darkness and exposes the reasons we are attracted to it and our need to reject it!
Scripture presupposes the fact that there are difficult decisions in life. We are to “abstain from all appearance of evil”. I Thess. 5: 21-22 It is evil when my liberty becomes your stumbling block. Our choices are to be based on what is right and what is wrong. The only way to discern good and evil is to be very familiar with God’s standard through His Word, understanding confirmation through prayer and getting counsel from wise and godly people. If we “drop the ball” and negate our given provision, we become stumbling blocks and can be certain of wrong discernment and decisions.
Often, those who insist on “gray areas” are offended, defensive, argumentative, contentious, competitive and accusatory to those who would question a right or wrong activity. It is a serious matter to realize that disregard for harmony between believers hinders the world from believing in Christ. There is, currently, division in churches and families over the last election and the controversial vaccine. Social drinking, legalized drugs, grounds for divorce, use of pornography, music, childhood behavior, life goals, family life patterns, defining moral purity in our current culture, …..are some of the battlegrounds of disagreement.
Paul spoke of certain liberties that hindered another and would violate the law of love and therefore would not be good. He says, “for you have been called into liberty; only don’t use liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but serve one another.”Gal. 5: 13 Our focus should be on how this activity will affect others, not what is good for us! Light cannot have fellowship with any amount of darkness.
“Let those who hope in You, not be disgraced because of me …
or those who are seeking You, not be put to shame because of me.
(King David Psalm 69: 6).”
Stumbling blocks will come, but don’t let it be us!
Make us “stepping stones”…
~Jackie Johnson - I am a former tribal missionary to the Kuna Indians on the Colombian border in Central America. Fluent in several languages, my husband and I currently pastor a Spanish-speaking church in Southern California. My passion is mentoring and equipping dedicated young women for life, marriage, motherhood, and beyond. I am the mother of two daughters and the grandmother of three Princesses and four young Knights.
