The Lord just took me for a walk to the
woodshed and back.
I’m going to share parts of Romans 14 with you. It won’t sound familiar because I’ve chosen to share it from Eugene Peterson’s THE MESSAGE.
[vs.1-4] Welcome with open
arms fellow believers who don’t see things the way you do. And don’t jump all
over them every time they do or say something you don’t agree with—even when it
seems that they are strong on opinions but weak in the faith department. Remember,
they have their own history to deal with. Treat them gently.
For instance, a person who has been around for a while might well be convinced that he can eat anything on the table, while another, with a different background, might assume he should only be a vegetarian and eat accordingly. But since both are guests at Christ’s table, wouldn’t it be terribly rude if they fell to criticizing what the other ate or didn’t eat? God, after all, invited them both to the table. Do you have any business crossing people off the guest list or interfering with God’s welcome? If there are corrections to be made or manners to be learned, God can handle that without your help. [My emphasis]
For the record, Paul is primarily addressing a
specific problem that had arisen in the early church. Meat was frequently sacrificed to pagan gods and
then sold in the markets. Some
Christians felt it was wrong to buy and eat this meat; others were not so constrained. Paul exhorts them to live peaceably together.
[vs.5-8]…say,
one person thinks that some days should be set aside as holy and another thinks
that each day is pretty much like any other. There are good reasons either way.
So, each person is free to follow the convictions of conscience.
What’s important in all this is that if you keep a holy day, keep it for God’s sake; if you eat meat, eat it to the glory of God and thank God for prime rib; if you’re a vegetarian, eat vegetables to the glory of God and thank God for broccoli. None of us are permitted to insist on our own way in these matters. It’s God we are answerable to—all the way from life to death and everything in between—not each other.
[v.10] So where does that leave you when you
criticize a brother? And where does that leave you when you condescend to a
sister? I’d say it leaves you looking pretty silly—or worse. Eventually, we’re
all going to end up kneeling side by side in the place of judgment, facing God.
Your critical and condescending ways aren’t going to improve your position
there one bit.
I can be viciously judgmental. I don’t want to be. It’s part of that sinful nature that I have
to resist continually.
I hold to my beliefs as precious and
dear. The problem is that I tend to
think everyone else should hold to my beliefs in the same way! But they don’t! And when they don’t, I have a tendency to
look down on them. Shame on me!
Eventually, we’re all going to end up kneeling side by side
in the place of judgment, facing God.
Kind and Gracious
God,
Forgive me for my judgmental attitudes. Forgive me for an arrogant and haughty spirit.
Help me to be far more accepting of those who believe a little differently than me.
Help me to give them grace and allow them the freedom to develop fully under Your direction.
Release me from the rigid areas of my belief system in the freedom of Your Holy Spirit. Widen my circle of fellowship by opening my mind to greater freedom and diversity.
As I grow older, help me to avoid the pitfall of increasing rigidity and to be a forever growing vessel of Your grace and peace!
For Jesus’ and the Kingdom’s sake. Amen.
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