Let us not be the stumbling blocks for our students

I wrote most of this when I found out I would be helping out Ms. Gaow, in a time I needed to hear these words the most.

I am new to formally teaching kids and the last few weeks have taught me a great deal.

I always get a little humbled by these devotions

Todays topic: Let us not be the stumbling blocks for our students.

Educators hold tremendous influence over the students in their care. The job is to literally mold their hearts and minds.

But what does that mean for their faith. Ironically, Jesus tells us exactly about a kid’s faith

Luke 18:16–17 “Jesus, however, invited them: “Let the little children come to me, and don’t stop them, because the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.””

Children possess a natural purity or humbleness in their faith. They might not even know what to call it. The might not say the “correct words” but they just know the love of Jesus. I can’t remember who said this to me, but they said that if you asked a kindergartener if they love Jesus, they will always say YES!!! Do they know all the details and exactly what seeking redemption is, maybe not…but they know what love is in its purest form.

With the trust of educators with teachers, we hold a burden to continuously shape their hearts without clouding their hearts and minds with what they observe out of us.

This reality demands being intentional about the preventing obstacles —whether through our words, attitudes, or actions.

Stumbling Blocks

Interesting fact: Did you know that the Greek word for stumbling block originally referred to the bait stick in a trap, symbolizing both the trap itself and a temptation toward sin or false faith.

Do it isn’t like a bump in a road, but a literal trap that is set, and even bait placed within. Our actions, our sin is the bait that draws them in.

Now, Jesus was very very clear on his thoughts about those that pulled children away from him.

Matthew 18:6 ““But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to fall away—it would be better for him if a heavy millstone were hung around his neck and he were drowned in the depths of the sea.”

This isn’t a parable. This is just a statement. It is better for you to drown in the depths of the sea, a horrifying death, than to lead a believing child away from God.

This doesn’t have to be just those that have been baptized or declared the exact words to become saved. It could be those that are seeking. The kids that run to Jesus without even thinking about it.

In this context it could be bad attitudes, selfishness, quick tempers, gossip, bad language, laziness, lack of self-control and disrespect for authority all function as stumbling blocks.

These behaviors teach students what matters—and what doesn’t—more powerfully than any lesson plan.

Heavy right?

I want to look at one other scripture

Romans 14:13 “Therefore, let us no longer judge one another. Instead decide never to put a stumbling block or pitfall in the way of your brother or sister.”

Context matters here. Paul here was specifically talking about eating and drinking cultures and being nice to others based on what they viewed as unclean.

Romans 14:22-23: 22 Whatever you believe about these things, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves. But whoever doubts stands condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith, and everything that is not from faith is sin.”

But what does this mean to us. It means that a new faith is fragile. This passage means that do not let your personal convictions cause a new believer to stumble, but instead keep them and practice them yourself.

Coming from a buddist of atheist background, surrounded by family and friends who do not believe, is a hard enough battleground. We have them here at the door, lets not make the journey more difficult for them.

We love rules. We love to give opinions of what students should be doing in their free time, what movies they should be watching or even what they should be wearing and what constitutes modesty.

We have to be careful not to blur the lines as teachers as to what is conversation and what is direction and the will of God

Paul is not saying that people can do whatever they want. He is saying that as long as it is biblically grounded, our goal should be unity and not dividing ourselves over preferences.

We can’t afford 10 different denomination here at MICS. We can’t afford subsets of the pius and conservative, those that force 10 reverent prayers a day, and those with more of familiarity and walking beside Jesus talking to him as a friend.

We have to love one another and accept all levels of faith based obedience. We have get out of our own ways sometimes and ensure these students see and hear a loving God.

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They are watching us always. Lets show them love

Reflection: What stumbling block might you unintentionally be placing before a student or colleague this week? How will you remove it?