Week 18 – “Small Rocks”

Years ago, while chaperoning a field trip for my son Brandon’s 4^th-grade class, I watched as he and his classmates played on large boulders that were twice to three times their height and equally wide. They jumped to and from, and I nervously anticipated a slip, a fall, and a subsequent injury. Through my silence, I was determined to let “boys be boys” and not be the coddling, overbearing mother who cocoons her son and delays his physical and emotional maturation. After several minutes of play, my son hopped off the rocks and made his way over to me, only to trip on a small rock and plummet to the ground. No falls or injuries occurred while jumping from one large boulder to another, but he tripped and fell to his knees while attempting to step over a 3-inch rock.

As Christians, we often face this dilemma regarding sin. We are very confident, even sometimes cocky, that we have no trouble navigating, without temptation, through the larger boulders of sin, such as adultery, drug or alcohol addiction, homosexuality, murder, robbery, extortion, embezzlement, or whatever our “boulder” is, convinced it would never tempt us! Instead, many Christians struggle with the “small rocks” of sin, which cause us to stumble and fall spiritually. “Small rocks,” like “white lies” of convenience, anger, impatience, not trusting God, sarcasm, envy, lust, unforgiveness, greed, and a lack of contentment, invade our lives daily and prevent us from living an abundant life of joy with Christ. We can all fill in the blank with our “small rocks.”

We should not dismiss or ignore these “small rocks” of sin, for God warns, “…but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.  Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death” (James 1:14-15).

How does the Lord address these “small rocks” of sin?  He addresses some of them in the following scriptures:

“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’  But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment” (Matthew 5:21-22).

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery’.  But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:27-28).

“Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.  But I tell you, Do not swear at all:  either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem for it is the city of the Great King.  And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black.  Let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one” (Matthew 5:33-37).

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’  But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person.  If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.  And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.  If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.  Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you” (Matthew 5:38-42).

“Sanctification is the carrying on to perfection the work begun in regeneration, and it extends to the whole man” (Easton’s Bible dictionary;www.biblos.com).

We are positionally and instantly sanctified the moment we receive Christ as our Lord and Savior (1 Corinthians 1:2, 30; 16:11). However, there is an ongoing sanctification process that calls us to conform to the likeness of Christ through obedience to His Word and the power of the Holy Spirit (John 17:16-19; Romans 6:1-22; 2 Corinthians 3:18; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4 and 5:23).

A theme throughout the Bible, from Genesis through Revelation, is God’s plan to redeem mankind through the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, and for man to strive for God’s standard of Holiness.  God says many times throughout scripture, “Be Holy because I am Holy” (Exodus 31:13; Leviticus 11:44, 19:2, 20:7; Joshua 24:19; 1 Samuel 2:2; Psalm 99:3; Ephesians 1:4; 1 Thessalonians 4:7; 1 Peter 1:15-16). However small our sins, we need to go to the Lord with them in confession and repentance and allow God to cleanse us (1 John 1:9).

The process of sanctification glorifies God and strengthens our witness to non-believers. “You are the light of the world.  A city on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.  Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see our good deeds and praise your father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16).   

God created us and therefore knows we will never be perfect, nor sinless on this side of heaven (“…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” Romans 3:23). We must, however, be honest with ourselves and ask God to expose our “small rocks” of sin that prevent us from looking more like Jesus, (“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us” 1 John 1:8).  God does not want us to make excuses and justify our “small rocks” of sin.  Through studying and obedience of God’s Word, prayer, and the power of the Holy Spirit, we can break our “boulders” down into “rocks”, our “rocks” down into “pebbles”, our “pebbles” down into “dust”, and allow God to sweep the dust away into oblivion.  Our goal should be Holiness, which will enable us to be more and more like Christ every day.