Love Your Neighbor#6 - Keep from Stumbling and Lead in Right Way

Loving your neighbor as yourself means:

I will not make my neighbor stumble by my words or my actions, but instead I will bless and please them for their good, leading them in the right way.

For we all stumble in many ways, and if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. (Jam 3:2-10 ESV)

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. (Eph 4:29 ESV)

As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand. One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; for it is written, "As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God." So then each of us will give an account of himself to God. Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean. For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died. So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. (Rom 14:1-17 ESV)

A brother offended is more unyielding than a strong city, and quarreling is like the bars of a castle. (Pro 18:19 ESV)

Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble. (1Co 8:13 ESV)

We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. (Rom 15:1-2 ESV)

And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. (1Th 5:14 ESV)

"And whoever receives one such child in My name, receives Me; "but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it is better for him that a heavy millstone be hung around his neck, and that he be drowned in the depth of the sea. "Woe to the world because of its stumbling-blocks! For it is necessary that stumbling-blocks come; but woe to that man through whom the stumbling-block comes! "And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; it is better for you to enter life crippled or lame, than having two hands or feet, to be cast into the eternal fire. "And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it from you. It is better for you to enter life with one eye, than having two eyes, to be cast in to the fire of Gey-Hinnom." (Mat 18:5-9 MRC)

Train up a child in the way he should go, and even when he is old, he will not depart from it.
(Pro 22:6 JPS)

Behold, I am against those who prophesy lying dreams, declares the LORD, and who tell them and lead my people astray by their lies and their recklessness, when I did not send them or charge them. So they do not profit this people at all, declares the LORD. (Jer 23:32 ESV)

Here is GOD's Message to the prophets, the preachers who lie to my people: "For as long as they're well paid and well fed, the prophets preach, 'Isn't life wonderful! Peace to all!' But if you don't pay up and jump on their bandwagon, their 'God bless you' turns into 'God damn you.' Therefore, you're going blind. You'll see nothing. You'll live in deep shadows and know nothing. The sun has set on the prophets. They've had their day; from now on it's night.
(Mic 3:5-6 MSG)

For false christs and false prophets will rise up. And they will give great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. (Mat 24:24 LITV)

For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. (Mar 13:6 KJVR)

Little children, let no one deceive you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; (1Jo 3:7 MRC)

One who is righteous is a guide to his neighbor, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.
(Pro 12:26 ESV)

What you think is the right road may lead to death. (Pro 14:12 GNB)

A violent man lures his neighbor, and causes him to go in a way that is not good. (Pro 16:29 LITV)

"But my people have forgotten me; they make offerings to false gods; they made them stumble in their ways, in the ancient roads, and to walk into side roads, not the highway,"
(Jer 18:15 ESV)

O Jerusalem, you must be instructed, lest My soul depart from you; lest I make you desolate, a land without people. (Jer 6:8 MKJV)

"People of Jerusalem, open your gates! Repair the road to the city and clear it of stones; raise a banner to help the nations find their way. Here is what the LORD has said for all the earth to hear: "Soon I will come to save the city of Zion, and to reward you. Then you will be called, 'The LORD's Own People, The Ones He Rescued!' Your city will be known as a good place to live and a city full of people." (Isa 62:10-12 CEV)

Stand in the gate of the house of Jehovah and call out there this Word, and say, Hear the Word of Jehovah all Judah, who enter in at these gates to worship Jehovah. So says Jehovah of Hosts, the God of Israel, Amend your ways and your doings, and I will let you dwell in this place. Do not trust yourself to lying words, saying, The temple of Jehovah! The temple of Jehovah! This is the temple of Jehovah! For if you thoroughly amend your ways and your doings; if you truly practice justice between a man and his neighbor; if you do not oppress the stranger, the orphan, and the widow; and do not pour out innocent blood in this place, or walk after other gods to your evil; then I will let you dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, from forever and to forever. (Jer 7:2-7 LITV)

We are to bring our neighbors into the Lord's city on His highway, not on our side roads which lead them astray. We also need to repair His highway and remove the big boulders that are in the way that we have put there. We sent out our children to do the work, but didn't teach them the way home, and now they are lost and can't see the light because it is night and darkness surrounds them. Sadly, the population of the Lord's city has dwindled, but there is still hope because He promises to fill it again - if we amend our ways.

(To understand more about the "the way to the city", see previous blog entry - "Baptized in His Name, Given Power & Protection".)

Love Your Neighbor#5 - Don't Argue But Pursue Peace and Edify

Loving your neighbor as yourself means:

I will pursue peace and not arguments or dissentions with my neighbor, looking to edify him.

Hot tempers cause arguments, but patience brings peace. (Pro 15:18 GNB)

Any fool can start arguments; the honorable thing is to stay out of them. (Pro 20:3 GNB)

But avoid stupid arguments, long lists of ancestors, quarrels, and fights about the Law. They are useless and worthless. Give at least two warnings to those who cause divisions, and then have nothing more to do with them. You know that such people are corrupt, and their sins prove that they are wrong. (Tit 3:9-11 GNB)

But don't be conceited or make others jealous by claiming to be better than they are. (Gal 5:26 CEV)

Arguments and fights will come to an end, if you chase away those who insult others. (Pro 22:10 CEV)

Kind words bring life, but cruel words crush your spirit. (Pro 15:4 GNB)

A gentle answer quiets anger, but a harsh one stirs it up. (Pro 15:1 GNB)

Remember this, my dear friends! Everyone must be quick to listen, but slow to speak and slow to become angry. Human anger does not achieve God's righteous purpose. (Jam 1:19-20 GNB)

If you become angry, do not let your anger lead you into sin, and do not stay angry all day.
(Eph 4:26 GNB)

Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. (Eph 6:4 ESV)

Parents, don't come down too hard on your children or you'll crush their spirits. (Col 3:21 MSG)

And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: (Heb 10:24 KJV)

If you and your neighbor have a difference of opinion, settle it between yourselves and do not reveal any secrets. (Pro 25:9 GNB)

LORD, who may enter your Temple? Who may worship on Zion, your sacred hill? Those who obey God in everything and always do what is right, whose words are true and sincere, and who do not slander others. They do no wrong to their friends nor spread rumors about their neighbors. (Psa 15:1-3 GNB)

So then let us follow after things which make for peace, and things whereby we may edify one another. (Rom 14:19 ASV)

Be friendly with everyone. Don't be proud and feel that you are smarter than others. Make friends with ordinary people. Don't mistreat someone who has mistreated you. But try to earn the respect of others, and do your best to live at peace with everyone. (Rom 12:16-18 CEV)

We must live together as peaceful neighbors in our city! If we truly understand how we are one body, then our purpose will be to build each other up in love. Our arguments and quarrels between ourselves should prove to us that we have forgotten how to love. Now is the time for us to remember!!