Stumbling Blocks

Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak. For if anyone with a weak conscience sees you who have this knowledge eating in an idol's temple, won't he be emboldened to eat what has been sacrificed to idols? So this weak brother, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. When you sin against your brothers in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to fall.
1 Cor. 8:9-13

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
1 Cor. 13:4->

i often think about these verses in the context of "am i causing any one to sin because of something i am doing?". maybe it's on my list of questions i ask when i'm scrutinizing my life, trying to figure out if i've done or said anything which would cause my Father to be hurt. either way, i think of this question often. and because of this, i may be extra sensitive to it. i'm not sure. tho i miss so much, and many times i don't even realize that i offended someone. these are the times i need to rely on my friends and others to point out the error of my ways.

not sure how to express my many thoughts on this topic. i think i'll just list of some of the things i've learned over my 26 years.
*if i do something to someone and i think it's really funny, but that other person doesn't---it's prolly really not good to do in the first place. and i may be causing that person to sin by invoking their anger.
*if my actions don't reflect the type of forgiveness which Christ gave to me, then i am causing my Father to be hurt.
*if i do something to someone which causes them to be offended, i need to apologize and do everything in my power (through Christ) to reconcile the relationship back to good terms. even if this means accepting a wrong which i haven't committed. (i think about Christ example - He was put to death for my behalf. He didn't deserve it.)
*if i delight in evil at the expense of someone else, i am off base and need to be reprimanded.
*since Jesus says in John 13:35 that others will know i am a Christian by the way i love them, then my actions better match up with the words of my mouth.

those are just a few of my fleeting thoughts for today.

Jesus,
You are the king of forgiveness. i fall on my face before Your throne and cry out for mercy. i've delighted in causing others to stumble. may You forgive me, tho i an unworthy. i trust that only through You can i love the way You love me. may i willingly take up the cross You give me to bear with joy, knowing that when i am persecuted, You will bless me. when i am temped to cause others to stumble, please give me the strength to trust You. open my eyes to other areas in my life where i am causing my friends, loved ones, and even those whom i come into contact with to stumble. please don't allow me to delight in the fall of others. sensitize me, God, to Your love.

In Christ's Holy Name - Amen!

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*Robin *Denise *Ruth