LK 17: 1-10 

Laterally Luke…Pentecost + 17…Revised 2019

We happen to have a Mulberry tree in our garden; & lots of Mustard Seeds in our pantry. The Indian Ocean is just a few metres up the street; &, I have great faith! But no way am I going to take what Jesus says here literally, & try to move that tree!  As if He would want me to! To do so would be to fall into one of the traps He warns us against here.

As I age I find myself being more & more careful where I place my feet lest they cause me to stumble & bring me undone. Mind you, not always as carefully as my darling wife would like! It is at least as important I watch where I put my spiritual ‘feet’! It’s only a short step from there to watching lest I become a stumbling block to someone else, too.

As churches, we have sheltered too many in our ranks who became stumbling blocks through paedophilia. More often than not, we've responded poorly, slowly, or not at all, to those who stumbled over them & became their victims. On the whole we've been painfully slow (another stumbling block), stubborn (another), unwilling (yet another), to compensate in compassionate ways those who’ve stumbled over us. Churches as institutions have become stumbling blocks to victims by guarding church property from claims; even going so far as to disbelieve (stumbling block) little ones of all ages when they tell of abuse. 

The Olympic Games will happen again next year. How would our churches fare if a Stumbling Race were to be introduced? Gold!? How would we fare as individual competitors? Should anyone have to stumble over hurdle after hurdle to get justice on any issue. God’s justice. Jesus’ justice.  God's, little ones deserve better. There may be different, less obvious stumbling blocks, where we are part of the Body of Christ. Millstones aren't something God puts round anyone’s neck. We put them round others’ necks.  Even our own. Turn ourselves into millstones.

How much unsown 'mustard seed' is lying around in our heart pockets?  Going to waste? Or in the cupboards of our souls? Because the seed is God's, even that kind of storing away, shoving out of sight, out of mind, can't make it go mouldy or render it un-productive. It's still good. So, let's get it out! Sow it. Now!

Brian

Afterthought: There’s quite some interest in the community today in creating grainy mustards, full of flavour, with a lot of bite. God has even more interest in firing us up inside; to increase our faith & discipleship to be picker-uppers of others, rather than tripper-uppers!