Jesus, the master teacher, knows how to reduce things down to the basic essentials. As the Creator of life, He understands how it best operates. He is in full discipleship training mode when He addresses four areas of interpersonal relationships. They are matters that need our careful attention today, as they did in the first-century.
WATCH YOUR INFLUENCE (1-2). I find Jesus’ opening statement as disturbing as it is true. I have seen more seasoned and mature Christians say and do things that adversely affected non-Christians and babes in Christ than I care to recall. From coarse, harsh, or careless words to an un-Christlike attitude and a poor example, such negative influence has helped push these precious souls onto the broad road of destruction. Jesus conjures up a frightening picture of what’s preferable to occupying such a negative position, saying to be draped with a heavy grinding stone and dropped into the sea is better than to cause someone impressionable to fall away. His point is simple. Be self-aware. Be mindful that your attitude, words, and actions impact other people. Is it for the better or worse?
WATCH YOUR TEMPER (3-4). Notice that this does not mean you have to “go along to get along.” There is a place for righteous indignation. In fact, Jesus tells us to rebuke a brother who sins, much as Paul will later on (Eph. 5:11). This is not done to look spiritually superior, to be a watchdog, or to satisfy some urge to be right at their expense. The goal is to help your brother repent. If he does repent, drop the matter. Don’t hold onto it. Even if the brother struggles with conquering the sin problem or issue, if he is continuing to try and demonstrates this by asking your forgiveness you are to do so. Is that frustrating? Will it try your patience? Certainly! If not, Jesus likely would not have had to instruct us on it. We know it’s a hard principle because it causes the disciples to respond, “Increase our faith!” (5). It will take trust and reliance in Christ to master this principle.
WATCH YOUR DOUBT (5-6). In response to the disciples’ aforementioned request, Jesus talks about the exponential power of faith. Submitting life to God’s control and believing He can do and do through us so much more than we could produce alone, we will accomplish far more than we thought we could (Eph. 3:20). Jesus’ illustration of saying to a mulberry tree to be planted in the sea and it happening may seem far-fetched. But think about examples of faith-filled people daring to dream big dreams and see great things who worked their faith and saw God do the seemingly impossible! It still happens today!
WATCH YOUR PRIDE (7-10). Jesus ends this burst of instruction by calling us to humility. He uses the illustration of a slave who has worked all day and comes in from the field.
Rather than eating, the slave, who serves at the master’s pleasure, follows the further direction of his master to take care of the master’s needs first then his own. Afterward, he does not thank the slave for doing his job. The slave is doing what a slave is supposed to do. Do not conclude from this that serving God is drudgery, that God is a cruel taskmaster who sees us as a plaything for His amusement or a sadistic overlord. This is about our attitude. When we serve the Lord, there is no place for pride which says, “Look what I’ve done. Praise me. Reward me.” Instead, we should take satisfaction that in Christian service we are filling the role of disciple. We are furthering His agenda. That is enough!
Neal Pollard