Thursday’s Devotion: Cut it Out!

Matthew 18:8-10 (CEB)  If your hand or your foot causes you to fall into sin, chop it off and throw it away. It’s better to enter into life crippled or lame than to be thrown into the eternal fire with two hands or two feet.  If your eye causes you to fall into sin, tear it out and throw it away. It’s better to enter into life with one eye than to be cast into a burning hell with two eyes.

“Hyperbole is a figure of speech in which exaggeration is used for emphasis or effect. Exaggerations of this type are not totalitarian pronouncements and should not be interpreted that way.”

Often when we can’t relate to a scripture because it’s so far outside of our natural life experiences we simply gloss over it.  This is one of those scriptures.   We need to recognize the fact that Jesus used a number of literary techniques to teach his message.  He was a good preacher and used figures of speech just like we use today.  If Jesus wasn’t talking about literally cutting off limbs, what was he getting out?  He was talking about ways in which we sin – things in our life that can cause our demise. Remove them, Jesus says.  Whatever is causing you temptation, whatever is leading you astray, cut it out of your life.  It would be better to live without that now than to endure eternal consequences.  Of course sin and degradation wreck this life, too.  Are you ok?  Are all your limbs healthy and functioning to keep you in step with godly living? Or, is there something you need to do away with? 

Save us Lord, from the things that can destroy our lives, now and in the next life. Show us the higher road and give us strength to avoid whatever might tempt us.  We ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Have a great day!
Paige