Good morning and how are we today...
James warned that not many of us should aspire to be teachers. (James 3:1) The Lord will hold us accountable for what we teach and how we teach it. The weight of other’s belief should weigh heavy on our hearts when we teach. If we lead in the wrong direction, it is not only our hearts that stumble but those who follow. Jesus warned of leading someone to sin in Luke 17:1-2. He said, “Things that cause people to sin are bound to come, but woe to that person through whom they come. It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin.”
Often in these devotions, I tell you that we all teach by our words and our actions. I remind you that people are watching and taking note of how we live our Christian walk in our everyday lives. We teach by our behavior, our reactions, even our posts on social media. Every breath we take is an opportunity to teach for God’s glory or for our own regret. Because of this massive responsibility, we must… must… must be open to and accepting of godly correction. It very well could be the difference between life and death. With so much at stake, we need to be aware of sin. We cannot turn our backs to it or dismiss it as a personal decision. We dare not call sin a right or a choice that holds no consequences. We must treat sin as dangerous as it is, and we must warn each other of the dangerous road we travel when we follow after the things of the world instead of the ways of God.
Because our witness is comprised so heavily on the things we teach by what we say and do, we should value correction and honor it far above flattery or unmerited praise. In Luke 17:3-4 Jesus continues his teaching by saying: “So watch yourselves. If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. If he sins against you seven times a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, ‘I repent,’ forgive him.” Also, Proverbs 25:12 tells us: “Like an earring of gold or an ornament of fine gold is a wise man’s rebuke to a listening ear.” Do not harden your heart against correction. Be thankful for it. Repent when you have strayed. Forgive when others wander back after correction. Be on guard against sin lest you accidently teach others to follow the wrong path.
Remain blessed.