Jesus commanded the apostles not to cause others to sin. Mature believers will be held accountable for their influence on others. So, they are to watch themselves for sins, words, and actions that can cause others to stumble. However, they must also love and care enough to rebuke others for their sin and to forgive "seventy-seven times" (Mt. 18:22) when they repent. Jesus' commands here are very difficult for us to practice. Yet, according to Jesus, faith can uproot our bad habits, indifference, and unforgiving heart, helping us obey him.

Take a servant for example. A servant works hard in the field all day. He knows that his master does not wait to eat supper with the servant. Rather, after work, the servant must quickly prepare supper and wait on the master as he eats. The servant's duty is to work hard and to serve his master. After finishing his duty, the servant can finally enjoy his supper with a great sense of accomplishment. We Christians are servants of Jesus Christ who bought us with his blood and made us citizens of his heavenly kingdom. In his grace, Jesus chose us to serve his redemptive work. This is Jesus' gift for us, who were once without righteousness, life-purpose, and God-given work. we just say, "Thank you Lord. We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty."


Application: Lord, thank you for calling me as your servant. Use me in your life-giving work.
One Word: Worthy work for an unworthy servant