Luke 17:1 - Blood on MY windshield
I love monarch butterflies. The endurance and navigation of their migrations each year fascinate me. Merely watching them in flight, I can spot a monarch, even before I see their brown and black wings.
Driving in my car yesterday, I hit a monarch butterfly. SPLAT. All that was left on the windshield was bug juice and scales from the wing.
Luke 17:1 (New American Standard Bible) "[Jesus] said to His disciples, 'It is inevitable that stumbling blocks [or, "temptations"] should come, but woe to him through whom they come!'"
Jesus goes on to warn against tripping up children (a big no-no!). Adults can also trip up each other, when they sin against someone else. They can do it without even knowing it. If someone wrongs you, Jesus says to confront them--let them know what they've done--but if they apologize and repent, then forgive them. Even if they do the same thing over and over!
It's inevitable that offenses happen. No one intentional drives down the highway trying to hit butterflies, or wildlife, or family pets--or worse yet, humans.
But since we're not perfect, we offend each other without even knowing it. People in our families, people outside our families, people outside our race or culture.
The thing to do is to recognize when we need to make it right. Be open to someone telling us we've offended them. Then make it right. As many times as it takes. If we're on the other side of things, forgive. As many times as it takes.
Father, Thank you for forgiving us when we stumble, and even when we make others stumble. Give us the humility and love it takes to set things right again. Regardless of who tripped who. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Driving in my car yesterday, I hit a monarch butterfly. SPLAT. All that was left on the windshield was bug juice and scales from the wing.
Luke 17:1 (New American Standard Bible) "[Jesus] said to His disciples, 'It is inevitable that stumbling blocks [or, "temptations"] should come, but woe to him through whom they come!'"
Jesus goes on to warn against tripping up children (a big no-no!). Adults can also trip up each other, when they sin against someone else. They can do it without even knowing it. If someone wrongs you, Jesus says to confront them--let them know what they've done--but if they apologize and repent, then forgive them. Even if they do the same thing over and over!
It's inevitable that offenses happen. No one intentional drives down the highway trying to hit butterflies, or wildlife, or family pets--or worse yet, humans.
But since we're not perfect, we offend each other without even knowing it. People in our families, people outside our families, people outside our race or culture.
The thing to do is to recognize when we need to make it right. Be open to someone telling us we've offended them. Then make it right. As many times as it takes. If we're on the other side of things, forgive. As many times as it takes.
Father, Thank you for forgiving us when we stumble, and even when we make others stumble. Give us the humility and love it takes to set things right again. Regardless of who tripped who. In Jesus' name, Amen.
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