By Peter Kennedy
"Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak." - 1 Corinthians 8:9
In 1992, German artist Gunter Demnig wanted to commemorate World War II individuals at exactly the last place of residency—or, sometimes, work—which was freely chosen by the person before he or she fell victim to Nazi terror, euthanasia, eugenics, deportation to a concentration or extermination camp, or escaped persecution by emigration or suicide.
He began the Stolpersteine project, which literally means, “stumbling stone”. Each stone is a sett-size, ten-centimeter (3.9 in) concrete cube bearing a brass plate inscribed with the name and life dates of victims of Nazi extermination or persecution.
The majority of Stolpersteine commemorate Jewish victims of the Holocaust.
Most countries in Western and Central Europe have these stumbling stones.
As of December 2019, 75,000 Stolpersteine have been laid, making the Stolpersteine project the world's largest decentralized memorial.
Is there an area in your life that is an obstacle to others in drawing closer to Jesus? Today in prayer, ask the Lord to help you see any stumbling blocks in your life and pray that you can turn the stumbling blocks into stepping-stones to encourage others.
"We should be careful to do nothing that may occasion weak Christians to defile their consciences." - Matthew Henry
God's Word: "You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love." - Galatians 5:13
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