Tempters by Elder Craige E. Louis
Tempters
Luke 17:1 Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come:
but woe unto him, through whom they come! It were better for him that a millstone
were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one
of these little ones.
Temptations are sometimes hard to resist. And many times they lead us into sin or other kinds of calamities. But here, Jesus is addressing the people that are doing the tempting and saying that if you are tempting people, or making it hard for people to do what is right, then it would be better for you to die? Wow. That is pretty straight forward. But that’s where we are in this time. We have so many people that lead others astray. We have so many so called Christians that tempt people. Many of our “Christian leaders” are using their positions to promote themselves instead of the Word of God. These are tempters. So many of us are lead the wrong way and told to do it this way, or that way, but never told to read it in the Word and find it for ourselves. This brings on hard trials and temptations and then we fall into an ungodly mentality because we don’t really know God, but we know the men! Then, when the men fall, those who’s confidence is in the man will fall with them.
To bring it closer to home, what about you? Are you a tempter? Are you in someone’s way of righteousness? Are you the cause of them falling backwards instead of moving forward? When we hurt people, sometimes we become a hard trial to others. When we are evil or jealous, sometimes we add to people’s sufferings. When we are too judgmental and critical, sometimes we cut people down. Look at it like this. You may have just been feeling bad that day, but what you said may have carried weight to someone else. You may have just been lonely that day, but what you did may have shattered another’s faith in God. You may have just been dealing with an issue, but your actions may torment them forever. You may have just needed to feel loved, but your sin may have destroyed a babe’s perception of salvation and Christianity forever! Be careful what you do saints of the most High. Don’t be a trial for someone else. Don’t be a temptation for a person that is trying to do right. It may have been just another mess up to you, but it could change the future someone else.
Suggested Reading: Matt. 18:7, Rom. 14:13, 1Cor. 8:9, Rev. 2:14