Cut it off JR Miller daily Bible
readings in the life of Christ 1890 If your hand or your foot
causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better
for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two
hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. Matthew 18,
8. Our life is so full of temptation
and peril that even its best things may become stumbling blocks. Our very qualities of strength
may become fatal forces driving us to eternal ruin. Human beauty
is a blessing from God, and yet beauty has proved a snare to
many a woman, drawing her away from God. Ability to make money
is a perilous gift, which has led many a man to spiritual ruin,
It is better to altogether throw away the money-making ability
and go poor through life, with a talent wasted and shriveled,
and reach heaven, than to exercise the ability and grow rich and
be lost forever. These are illustrations of our
Lord's meaning when He speaks of cutting off the hand or the
foot which causes us to sin. The appetites, desires, and affections
are part of the glory of humanity, and yet, when they are unbridled,
they have whirled many a noble life to eternal destruction. A steamboat came into port, which
had long been out on the sea. An accident had happened which
caused delay. The coal gave out, then all that
would burn—cargo, stores, furniture—had to be burnt up in order to bring
the vessel home. At last she gained the shore,
but stripped of everything of value. Yet it was better to burn
up all her cargo and stores than perish at sea. Just so, some
men can get to heaven only by sacrificing every earthly pleasure
and crucifying every sinful desire. But who will say that the prize
is not worth the sacrifice? The hand would be better chopped
off than steal or strike down another. The foot would be better
cut off than carry one into crime or sin. The eye would be better
plucked out than by its lustful gazing set the soul on fire. A man on a wrecked vessel had
better throw his bags of gold into the sea and have his life
saved, than hold on to the gold and sink into the waves.