Don’t be the Tempter

Luke 17:1,2 … he said to his disciples, “Temptations to sin are sure to come, but woe to the one through whom they come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were cast into the sea than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin. Pay attention to yourselves. (ESV)

There’s a lie that the devil loves to perpetrate, that “little sins” don’t matter. Sure, go ahead, no one will notice! It’s only a little sin. Hey, it’s hardly a sin at all.

That’s a lie that he’ll whisper over and over again into the ear of anyone and everyone who loves Jesus. It’s almost the perfect lie, because it makes so much sense when you really want to yield to what appears to be the tiniest of temptations. No one will notice. It won’t hurt anyone.

But sin is always noticed and sin always has ramifications. One of those ramifications is the ripple effect – your itsy-bitsy, teeny-weeny little sin will create waves with the very real potential to tempt others to follow your lead.

When you grumble within earshot of your family, the most likely outcome is that you’ll be teaching them to grumble. When you have a harsh word for someone, there’s every chance that some young Christian will pick up your bad habits. And that’s something that Jesus takes very seriously.

Luke 17:1-3a … he said to his disciples, “Temptations to sin are sure to come, but woe to the one through whom they come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were cast into the sea than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin. Pay attention to yourselves. (ESV)

When we cause others to sin we become, in effect, an instrument of the devil, the tempter who’s mission it is to lead God’s people astray. That’s why Jesus takes this so seriously.

Don’t be the one through whom temptation comes to others. Just don’t!

That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.