Usually when we think of someone getting thrown into the ocean with cement we think of the mafia. But this form of death shows up in the Bible first. “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea" (Matthew 18:6). That wouldn't exactly be a pleasant way to go, but that's what Jesus suggest would be the better fate of someone who causes a child to sin.
Watch out! Those are fighting words. Children are so precious to God that one of the most egregious sins would be to harm them. My first thought is the millstone deserving people must be pedophiles. Yes, please give me the millstone, and I'll toss that person in myself. But I'm not sure this text would be in reference to sexual predators alone.
Leading a child into sin could be much simpler and not has devastatingly obvious. Maybe we set a poor example (like a father who asked his daughter to lie for him), or do as Paul warns against and exasperate children (Galations 6:4). As a teacher, I'm sure I did the latter for some of my students.
This text could get discouraging, but there's a flipside to it. "And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me (Matthew 18:5). So many times without realizing it we've encountered Christ. We have encountered him in the child we gave a snack to or in the child who fell asleep in our arms. He accepted our love for them as service for him.
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