The Blessing “Blessed is the man who does not condemn himself by what he approves.”

The Blessing

“Blessed is the man who does not condemn himself by what he approves.”

Beware of making stumbling blocks

“Make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.”

“Blessed is the man who does not condemn himself by what he approves.”

I doubt any of us could imagine putting a

stumbling block in the way of a blind person.

As I get older, my ability to see things

up close gets harder and harder.

Because of it, I sometimes read things wrong or

don’t see clearly little things that make a big difference.

I may laugh it off and joke about

being blind, but it really is not funny.

It is so easy to become judgmental of

others who can’t see things the way we do.

It amazes me how easily it is to trip and how ridicules.

Think about it, we trip over very

small things that should not matter.

Or, what we trip over is so big we

wonder how we missed seeing it.

Life is full of stumbling blocks.

Paul in Romans 14 warns us about stumbling

over what we approve to eat and drink.

Jesus addressed the religious leaders in Luke 11:52

because they were making stumbling blocks for the people.

Some things really don’t make a difference

unless we makes something of it.

While other things need to be addressed.

Remember Eli, he allowed his sons to minister

in the temple when they were in deep sin.

   

We have a responsibility to warn

others of stumbling blocks.

Proverbs 28:10 warns us of leading

the righteous astray so he falls in a pit.

So sometimes we should not say anything

and other times we need to speak up.

Paul says if we do not handle this matter

of stumbling blocks right we…

“Destroy the work of God” Romans 14:20

  

You and I have the ability of approving

and disapproving without saying a word.

People read our actions or lack of actions.

This is why Paul says to this matter…

“Blessed is the man who does not

condemn himself by what he approves.”

A major guide to handling stumbling

blocks is found in Romans 14:19…

“Let us therefore make every effort to do what

leads to peace and to mutual edification.”

A blind man can’t help being blind.

I was once walking with a group of

people in a parking lot with lots of ice.

One of the ladies said, “Don’t anyone fall because I

cannot help myself from laughing when someone falls.”

Stumbling, slipping, falling can hurt.

It is not funny even if our natural instinct is to laugh.

What do our actions approve of?

Do our actions lead to peace and mutual edification?

Scripture Reading

Romans 14:19-22 NIV

19 Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. 20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. 21 It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother to fall.

22 So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the man who does not condemn himself by what he approves.