Good morning. The words still sting. I remember them clearly, partly because they were uttered by the cutest girl in my class (there were 22 in my graduating class 11 of which were girls, so it may not have been the steepest curve). She had just witnessed me doing my best to be “popular” and to fit in with a boisterous and fun-loving group of senior high students. I don’t remember what I had said or done, only the look on her face and her words, “You are a hindrance to me”.
You see, I had invited her to church, and she had come. She didn’t sit with me (rats) but seemed to enjoy the service as she sat with another girl from my class whose family attended the Nevis Church of Christ. She came back the next week, and after the service said “thank you” to me for inviting her. It was only a week or so later that I messed up. I forgot any notion of living for and constantly representing Jesus and tried my best to fit in with the “popular” crowd around me. She was there, she saw and heard it all, and she looked me square in the eye and said, “You are a hindrance to me”. I knew immediately what she was talking about. She was saying that in her very young faith she needed to look up to those who said they were Christians and she was disappointed in what she was seeing and hearing from me. I apologized and told her that I would try to do a better job.
Jesus had this to say to the Pharisees and experts in the Law of Moses who claimed to be the most righteous of all people, but who often were revealed to be something else entirely: “Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering.” Luke 11:52
Jesus told them that not only had they not, regardless of their words about how great and spiritual they were, they had not personally entered into a righteous relationship with their Father God. He went on to say that their lies and their legalism also were a hindrance to others.
For our thought for today please consider how you represent Christ in all that you do and how you speak. May we all commit ourselves not only to a greater determination to live righteously, but also a commitment to be encouragers and never a hindrance to those of immature faith who are watching us. Never be a hindrance.
Vern