Stumbling Stones
One of the Scriptures that Jesus quoted, when referring to Himself, as the Messiah, is found in Psalms 118.22, (Mark 12.10). It reads: “The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.” The Pharisees, Sadducees and the scribes were among those listening to Jesus. They knew that Jesus was referring to them as the builders who rejected the Messiah. They were furious and from that point onward, plotted to kill Jesus. They stumbled on the Rock, which is Jesus. This Rock was to be their foundation and the cornerstone for all of Israel, but their arrogance kept them from seeing His importance.
Let’s imagine ourselves on a road full of rocks and road blocks. These rocks represent the truth upon which to build our lives, and yet we have determined to avoid them at all cost. We want to go forward, but we want to get hurt, so we decide to play it safe and take no risks. Some rocks we just throw to the side of the road and others that are too big to move, we just maneuver around them. When the rocks become more than we can handle, we seek a detour or just decide to go back to where we began. These rocks were not meant to be stumbling stones, but building stones. They were placed on our path, so we could incorporate them into our lives.
The religious leaders, of Jesus’ day, could not understand how a person of low esteem could become king, how a Galilean could be from the tribe of Judah and how God could come in human flesh. Their reason caused them to stumble. It is with revelation that one sees the value of each stone and how to build with it. It seems that many of us are no different than the Pharisees and Sadducees. We walk with Jesus in the areas we agree with Him, but then there are other areas where we put up a road blocks to avoid the stones on the path. We have given our lives to the Lord, but there are conditions we have placed on our commitment to Him.
To explain this modern-day parable, let me interpret what the stones can be. They can be either stumbling stones or building stones. Remember, they are one in the same. It is just how we perceive their importance in our lives, and whether we build with them or despise them. The first is Jesus. He is the chief corner stone. The corner stone is the stone that all other stones are measured by. You first set this stone and then all others come into alignment. Grace is another very important stone to be incorporated into our lives. To pick this stone up, we must trust solely in God’s strength and not our own. Another is forgiveness. So many have stumbled on this one. They want to be forgiven, but they are not willing to forgive.
How comfortable do you want your house, (life), to be? If you desire the abundant life that Jesus spoke about, then we must add more of the stones He has placed in front of us. They are: Giving, (tithes and offerings), this stone ensures prosperity and protection; Hospitality, (sharing your house with others), this fills your life with laughter and joy; Love, (friends and enemies), which creates an atmosphere of peace and trust; and Spiritual Authority, (submission to leadership), which is God’s remedy for deception. Wisdom builds her house with all these precious stones. Don’t stumble on them, build with them. If you can’t figure out their importance with your reason, then ask God for revelation.
Scriptures to meditate on:
Mark 12.10; Is. 8.11-15; 40.3; Gal. 5.11; Jer. 50.32; Rom. 9.32-33