Stumbling Blocks

Mark 9:38-50 Many of us, in looking back, can identify people who have been stumbling blocks in so many ways. In fact, it seems that many make a career out of pinpointing those people who have been stumbling blocks in their lives. There are many others who have latched onto this and make their living helping people find those in their past they can blame for their problems, insufficiencies, addictions, etc. Jesus has made it very clear what we are to do with those people. We are to forgive them and move on with our lives, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. In our Scripture lesson today, we find Jesus telling us of the rewards of being a stepping stone for others, and the dire consequences of being a stumbling block. The message today is a call to examine ourselves and see if we have been or are being stumbling blocks to others, and encouraging us to be stepping stones instead.