I like to eat a good sizzling ribeye steak cooked medium. Oh!!! Better yet, if I bought it from Vons on the day the meat manager discounted it by 70%- I feel like a king with a shopping victory to bring home to my wife. Food doesn’t necessarily bring us closer to God, but I am grateful for it. There are some Biblical instruction from which we can draw principles, but not exact parallels today. In Corinth (a metropolitan city, not far from Athens), there were a plethora of gods and rampant idol worship. Those who left idolatry to follow the Lord Jesus Christ knew some food in the market was “sacrificed to idols”, so they wouldn’t buy it or eat it ever again. While others who it didn’t bother, would. Paul says be aware and sensitive of the offenses you might create in a weaker brother. Give up for their sake what you otherwise wouldn’t think twice about. Unity matters.
For if someone sees you, the one who has knowledge, dining in an idol’s temple, will his conscience, if he is weak, not be strengthened to eat things sacrificed to idols? For through your knowledge the one who is weak is ruined, the brother or sister for whose sake Christ died. And so, by sinning against the brothers and sisters and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food causes my brother to sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause my brother to sin. 1 Corinthians 8:10-13 NASB
Am I creating any needless offense in other Christians by my actions and freedom in Christ? If I had to choose, would I hold fast to my freedom or give it up for the sake of others?
God, as this day begins- I am so glad that the Christian life is one in relationship with You and others… in the faith and not yet in the faith. Impart to me wisdom on how to live in harmony and peace, so much as its possible, with all men. I want to inspire not offend. So much ahead today. Guide me, empower me, fill me with an overflow of love so that I might reach out and love others in Your name. Amen.
