We preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles. 1 Corinthians 1:23

Usually when you think of a stumbling block, it’s not seen as a good thing.  We try to avoid them, because they hurt.  We constantly tell our children to watch where they walk because there might be something along the path that could make them trip and fall.

Growing up in boarding school in India, we, as kids, learned to play games together, and one of the games was ‘follow the leader.’  If you’ve ever played this, whoever was behind the leader, had to do and go everywhere the leader went. They had to step where the leader stepped, stop and go when the leader stopped and went.  In our particular town of Kodaikanal, as in most Indian towns and cities, cows roamed freely, and inevitably, where cows roamed, they left major deposits along the way, including sidewalks and roads.  We would refer to these deposits as “Kodai roses.”  You can imagine what a leader in the game would pretend to do as they quickly stepped over a ‘Kodai rose’ but the person immediately following them wouldn’t have time to adjust their step as they placed their foot.   – Not a good example of a leader.

We do our best, as followers of Christ, not to be a stumbling block to those who may be following us or watching us.  We, however, have a message, as Paul says, that is a stumbling block for many, and that is “Christ crucified.”  It doesn’t make sense to so many people.  But this stumbling-block message is a positive thing, because inherent in the message of Christ crucified, is the message of the risen and living Christ, the very Son of God and the only way into the kingdom of God.  

So, if the message of Christ crucified is a stumbling block, how do we show people what the glorious truth of that is all about?  It’s primarily through our lives. We have been transformed and we are new creations.  People need to see in us the reality of the risen Christ – always.  

Paul, writing to the believers in Colossae wrote:  Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.  Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.  And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him (Colossian 3:15-17).

We are all leading somebody, whether we are aware of it or not.  People are watching us.  May we lead in a manner that shows people that the message of Christ is dwelling in us richly (not poorly).  Though people may not initially see the Gospel of Christ as a good thing, may they look at our lives and see lives filled with joy and peace and a wonderful hope that is promised us.  They will then be open to hear what the Gospel message is really all about.