Cutting off troubles

Do you always get in trouble for the same things? Maybe you wander away from your family every time you go to the mall, or take toys from your brother. Your parents yell, but you can't seem to stop doing it!

Jesus' answer to that is pretty strict: Just stop, and do it right away. In this week's Gospel (Mark 9:38-48), He uses a strange story to give us that message.

"If your hand makes you sin, cut it off," Jesus said. "It's better to go to heaven with one hand than to have two hands and not get into heaven. If your eye makes you sin, take it out. It's better to enter heaven with one eye than to have two and not go to heaven."

How do you stop? In the Gospel story, Jesus said the answer is easy: If one part of you makes you sin -- gets you in trouble -- then "cut it off."

Jesus didn't mean we should cut off pieces of ourselves! He meant that if you keep getting in trouble for the same thing, just STOP -- right now. If you keep wandering away at the mall, stop moving your legs! If you keep taking your brother's toys, "cut your hand off" by pulling it back when you reach for one.

Some grownups tell kids you'll stop doing stuff wrong when you grow up. Jesus believed everybody could work on the things that got them in trouble -- even kids.

In His story, He was saying it's better to have less toys and be a good kid than grab all your brother's toys and get in trouble! Jesus knew we could "cut off" the mistakes we make by trying to change them -- not someday, when you're grown up, but right now.

PRAYER FOR THE WEEK: Jesus, help me "cut off" the things that get me in trouble! Amen.