Thursday August 12, 2021

Lord, help me to pause, help me to focus, help me to receive your word in a way that makes an impact on my day. Amen.

Romans 14:12-23

So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.

Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean. If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died. Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval.

Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall.

So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves. But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.

Would You Know A Stumbler If You Were Next to One?

So many people are so confident about the things around them today. “This is good for you.” “That’s bad for you.” “This is what that family or company should do.” We have so much intelligence and knowledge today as humans. We also have so many opinions. I know I offer too many opinions (I know this because my wife tells me I do.)

As we meditate this morning can we slow all this knowledge down to consider the things we may NOT know. “Is my friend trying to muster the courage to start eating better today and I am the holdback?” “Would my spouse love to start exercising if I weren’t always so negative?” “Do my comments in Sunday School keep someone from sharing?”

Paul’s request in 14:13 to not be a stumbling block or obstacle to any Brother or Sister is almost impossible. Nor should we cause another to stumble? I read these verses and am so scared I have missed some stumble-causing in my life.

Lord, be with my next steps, be in my next thoughts, be in my every breath as I live your word into the world. Amen.