“Living to Lead to Jesus”

Jesus, my heart is stirred as I sit with Your words today. You speak with such love and urgency, reminding me how precious every soul is. You tell me that even the smallest act of kindness—a cup of water given in Your name—has great meaning in Your eyes. Nothing done out of love is ever lost. How beautiful, Jesus, that You see even the smallest things! Teach me to see like You do.

But then, You also speak of something deeper. You warn me about being a stumbling block, about leading others away from You. Jesus, this makes me pause. I do not want my words, my actions, or even my silence to cause harm. I do not want to be the reason someone finds it harder to love, harder to believe, harder to hope. You ask me to be careful, not out of fear, but out of love—because love desires only good for the other.

Jesus, how often do I live without realizing that others are watching me? My choices, my attitudes, my way of treating people—it all has weight. Am I leading others toward You or away from You? When I am impatient, do I make it harder for someone to believe in Your gentleness? When I am selfish, do I make it harder for someone to trust in Your generosity? When I fail to love, do I make it harder for someone to believe in Your love?

Oh, Jesus, I want my life to be a path that leads straight to You. I want my words to lift up, not tear down. I want my hands to bless, not push away. I want my heart to be so full of Your light that no one stumbles because of me, but instead, they find You more easily.

Purify me, Jesus. If anything in me is unkind, make me gentle. If anything in me is selfish, make me generous. If anything in me is closed, open my heart wide. I do not want to be perfect—I only want to be more like You. That is enough.

And if ever I have made the road harder for someone else, Jesus, heal what I have broken. Make up for where I have failed. Bring light where I have cast shadows. And in Your mercy, help me to begin again, this time with more love, more care, more of You. Amen.