Warning Against Child Exploitation: Mark 9:42
““42) Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe to stumble, it would be better for him if, with a heavy millstone hung around his neck, he had been cast into the sea.” Mark‬ ‭9‬:‭42‬ ‭
Burn the screen into your mind. Jesus had just set a child in the midst of His disciples and talked about child like faith and service. The context included an argument among the disciples over which of them was greatest.
But in this verse, Jesus goes further by issuing a stark warning against child abuse, neglect and exploitation. In the ongoing context, He said whoever causes one of these little ones who believed to stumble would face eternal judgement in hell.
I want to underline this warning. Those who steal the innocence of a child, beware, hell awaits you! Those who spiritually, mentally or emotionally abuse children, beware, hell awaits you! Those involved in child or sex trafficking, child pornography or Satanic Ritual Abuse, beware, hell awaits you!
I will take this a step further and warn teachers, coaches, scout leaders, Sunday School teachers, pastors, priests, professor and anyone with an influence on young people; if you undermine the faith and innocence of a young person, hell rightly awaits you! Beware how you treat children and young people. You will be held accountable.
This context in the gospel of Mark and other parallel texts in the other gospels contain the strongest warnings from Jesus. He literally said any other fate in life would be better than the judgement that awaits stumbling blocks, especially for children and young people.
Don’t be a stumbling block. In Matthew 18:10, Jesus added a unique commentary about children; ““10 ) See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven continually see the face of My Father who is in heaven.” Wow!
By contrast, receive and help children. (Matthew 18:5) Help orphans and widows. (James 1:27) Be a voice and genuine friend to them and for them.
Let me encourage you to go to our GoServ Global web page and sign up to monthly sponsor an orphan or student. The needs are huge! If we were not there, many of these precious children would become victims of horrendous crimes. These are cruel days for children in many countries.
Daily Bible Commentary By Terry Baxter: Cofounder of GoServ Global

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