BY: Juliet Constantine
“If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.
And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.” (Matthew 5:29-30)
Aimee Copeland’s story is one of sheer inspiration. In 2012, she was infected with an aggressive and rare flesh eating-bacterium as a result of falling into a river in Georgia. As a result, her hands, a leg, and a foot had to be amputated to save her life. Instead of moping at her plight, she is grateful for life and thankful for the artificial replacements which gave her some independence.
In an effort to prevent the spread of certain diseases and to save life, doctors will remove the affected part(s) of the body in the patient’s best interest. Most people believe that where life can be saved, it should be saved at all costs! It was to this reality that Jesus compared the experience of the believer in their search for eternal life. Like the doctors, Jesus strongly believes in corrective medicine. It is better for you to save your life, without a body part, than to give up on life and die.
The sin disease is very aggressive and needs to be checked immediately before it’s too late. Whatever it takes, sin must be eradicated from our lives.
Jesus said, “If your eye and your right hand cause you to stumble: gouge it out, cut it off… throw it away.”
Anything that is in our control, that is causing us to sin, we can put a stop to it. It is that simple. We do have control over our bodies. Therefore, if a member of our body is causing us to sin, we need to control it. We should be the one controlling our members, not the other way around. Where ‘surgery’ is required, we should happily and readily perform it to save our souls. We would’ve done it to save our physical bodies in this life. What about eternal life? Which is more important?
Let me hasten to say the right hand – signifying power and authority – and the eyes are just examples of body members that could lead us into sin. So, don’t you start rejoicing that you are not an addict to porn, lust, or stealing! Our sin challenge varies from person to person. You know what your challenge is. It could be the tongue. How will you tame it? It could be the ear, the feet. Whatever it is, we have the authority to put them under subjection.
One of my favorite Christian authors said, “In order for us to reach this high ideal, that which causes the soul to stumble must be sacrificed. It is through the will that sin retains its hold upon us. The surrender of the will is represented as plucking out the eye or cutting off the hand…
“…If you cling to self, refusing to yield your will to God, you are choosing death. To sin, wherever found, God is a consuming fire. If you choose sin, and refuse to separate from it, the presence of God, which consumes sin, must consume you.” (EGW TMB pg61)
Has the soul-eating disease of sin taken over your life? Like Aimee Copeland, you can get back on your feet again. It’s not so hard letting go! Just look to Jesus Christ. It’s better to be handicapped for the Kingdom while here, than to loose out altogether. Truly, it will be worth it, after all!
Our Father in Heaven, thank You for the gift of medicine to alleviate physical suffering. Please help us to accept Your gift of eternal life-- to be free from sin. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.
Copyrighted by Juliet Constantine 2014 (for “Alone With God – Finding Jesus In The Scriptures” Daily Devotional)
