Living Mindful

 

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARK

LIVING MINDFUL

 

Mark 9:42-50

42 "And if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around his neck. 43 If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out.   45 And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell.   47 And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, 48 where "'their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.' 49 Everyone will be salted with fire. 50 "Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with each other." 

NIV

Jesus continues with his warning about coming to him as little children including his answer about the unnamed person who has been casting out demons in his name. Now he goes on still with this child in his arms, warning about causing this innocent humble child to sin. Again, Jesus is using the child as an example of the type of faith and character a believer should have and be. That fact is it is not good to destroy the faith of another, in fact, we are instructed to build each other up, to encourage each other, until we all reach unity in the faith. Those whose faith is strong should lift up those whose faith is not so strong, instead of the opposite. Jesus also gives a very stern warning about even causing ourselves to sin. Surely he did not mean to actually cut off a hand, feet, or cut out our eye, but there is this warning against either being the cause of someone else’s sin or of our own. This goes back to being like this child, for they did not cause people to sin in their innocents. But we adults with our prideful or arrogant or boastful attitudes can cause someone to be envious, jealous, or simply greedy, wanting what we have. There are many ways in which our behavior or attitude could cause another to sin. We have heard some say that is not their problem, but the one who is jealous or whatever has the problem. What do we do with these words of Jesus about causing someone to sin? Should we not be mindful of our words and deeds so as to not be the cause of another’s sin? Then what about our own sin? How can we stop doing sin with our hands, foot, or eye? We think the idea here is that we should not place ourselves willing in situations that would please our senses. If in the physical sense, one member of our body were in danger of taking our lives, we would willing to have it taken off as to continue to live, to die a more natural death later. So it is with our soul. If we take our pleasures willingly or walk willing into situations that would incite sin within us, we need to shut off ourselves from that. Yes, we may not be able to be absolutely without sin, as we have discussed being the descendent of Adam, being man, and guilty of both original and personal sin. But as we have been forgiven and redeemed, we should not continue to willfully aim to sin. We fail, we may give in, we may make that mistake unwillingly, but the point is we should not willfully decide to either sin or cause another to sin. That is not our goal, as we desire to please God rather than ourselves. Yet, at the same time, we act in a manner in which we also enjoy. We do not act against ourselves or cause ourselves harm. So how do we handle wanting that which is pleasing and yet not pleasing in sin? We can like things or pleasures that are not sinful, but we have to watch not to cross that line. We simply need to be mindful of this warning so as to live rightly.