Perspective: Stumbling on the Path

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Stumbling on the Path

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 12:1-2 (NRSV)

So you think you can see inside my mind?

You probably could if you just took a little time

I know exactly what you're trying to say

But sitting in the stands ain't the same as playing the game

So I can't comprehend in my mind

Just why we can't leave it all behind

So come on, and stand beside, and hold the line

'Cause tonight is the night we cry

You can't bring me down!

From "Bring Me Down" by Pillar

Jesus has some strong words regarding anything or anyone that causes His followers to "stumble," figuratively speaking.  He says, "If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea."  He goes on to say that a person should get rid of anything that might cause him or her to stumble, even it means amputating a hand, a foot, or an eye.¹

We typically associate spiritual "stumbling" with a lapse in judgment, and we typically think of a "stumbling block" as someone or something that encourages bad behavior.  Though I think there is some truth to these conventional understandings of stumbling, I think there is more to it.  It is worth noting that Jesus is using a walking metaphor.  Imagine that you are walking along a path, when you suddenly trip over something you did not see - a "stumbling block," if you will - and fall to the ground, scraping yourself up.  Your journey has been interrupted, and you just might feel discouraged from continuing on the path.

John, one of the twelve Disciples, tells Jesus that he saw a man casting a demon out of a person in Jesus' name and that he ordered the man to stop since he was not one of the twelve chosen by Jesus.  Jesus scolds John for stopping the man, identifies the man as an ally of theirs, and tells John that any good deed done in His name, be it great or small, will be remembered by God.  It is then that Jesus makes His strong statement about causing people to stumble.²  Is Jesus suggesting that John had caused someone to stumble by discouraging him from doing a good work?

The man John confronted was casting a demon out of someone.  In other words, he was liberating someone from a source of oppression and torment.  It is the type of work that Jesus did and sent His followers out to do.³  John basically discouraged the man from doing something followers of Jesus do.

Perhaps we stumble when we allow ourselves to be hindered from following the paths God has given us, and perhaps we act as stumbling blocks when we discourage others from following the paths God has given them.

One day, Jesus starts warning the Disciples that, once He reaches Jerusalem, He will suffer greatly at the hands of the religious leaders.  He will be put to death, and He will later be raised from the dead.  The disciple Peter takes Jesus aside and tells Him that he will not allow such a thing to happen to Him.  Jesus then rebukes Peter, going so far as to call him Satan, and tells him that he is being a stumbling block.⁴

Notice that, though Jesus is calling Peter out for being a stumbling block, Peter is not trying to get Jesus to do anything wrong.  On the contrary, he is trying to protect Him.  Peter is not trying to get Jesus into trouble: he's trying to keep Him out of trouble.  Peter has nothing but the best of intentions, yet he is still acting as a stumbling block because he is trying to come between Jesus and the path set before Him.  Jesus is meant to go to Jerusalem and to take a stand against the powers that be - a stand that will ultimately cost Him His life.  Jesus is also meant to triumph over the powers that be and even over death itself by rising from the grave, thereby freeing us all from the fear of death.

Apparently we can potentially cause people to stumble, even when our intentions for them are good.

Jesus does not mince words when addressing the things that trip people up.  He even goes so far as to say that we should amputate one of our own limbs if it is keeping us from following the path He has shown us.

In the spring of 2003, Aron Ralston went hiking alone in the Blue John Canyon in Utah.  At one point, as he was descending from a bolder, the boulder gave way and pinned his right arm to the canyon wall.  He was trapped with no way of calling for help.  To make matters worse, he had not told anyone where he was going, so nobody knew where to look for him.  Four days later, Ralston managed to successfully cut off his own arm, freeing himself from his predicament.  He made his way out of the canyon and was rescued a few hours later.⁵

Ralston faced a situation in which his right arm was literally keeping him from continuing his journey.  He had to choose between perishing with his arm and sacrificing his arm to keep moving and survive.  He chose the latter, and he lived to tell his story.  Could Jesus be addressing the spiritual equivalent of such a situation?

Jesus says that we are "the salt of the earth" and "the light of the word."  Salt can lose its flavor, but it is meant to season.  A light can be covered, but it is meant to illuminate.⁶  Likewise, we are meant to be everything God created us to be, but we are fully capable of being so much less.  If we are to be what God created us to be, then we must not allow anything to prevent us from following the paths God has given us.  When something weighs us down, we must leave it behind; when obstacles block the way, we must do what it takes to overcome them; and, when we fall on our faces, we must get back up and keep moving.


Notes:

1. Mark 9:42-48 (NRSV)
2. Mark 9:38-41
3. Mark 6:7
4. Matthew 16:21-23
5. Wikipedia: "Aron Ralston"
6. Matthew 5:13-16

The photograph of Blue John Canyon was taken by Michael Grindstaff and is used under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.  The photographer is in no way affiliated with this blog.