Live and Let Live

Scripture:
"Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions." Romans 14:1

Observation:
No two people are going to share the same convictions. Each person's life represents a unique path and journey. We mature at different times and experience different seasons. Life is tough enough as it is. Christians have a tendency to make things worse by spending our time throwing rocks at each other.

Application:
The way Christians sometimes act can really make me sick at my stomach at times. There are times that I listen to all that goes on around me and I am baffled. It seems to me that Christians waste an awful amount of energy throwing rocks of judgment at each other. I get really tired of all the pointless arguments around what we should do or should not do. There are certain things that are absolutes. Sexual immorality, for example, contains absolute rules that apply to everyone the same. But then there are things that are just seem pointless to debate. Consuming alcohol. Watching R-rated movies. White lies. Cutting grass on Sunday. Telling jokes. The list goes on. Paul offers something in this chapter that really challenges me to live life in a different way.

First, in verse 5 Paul says that each person must be convinced in his own mind as to what God is convicting him in his heart. That means that we have to allow each other flexibility. I have to stop judging what other people do and looking to others for approval of what I do. It is ridiculous. Nobody has it all figured out. There are things that I see other people do everyday, that it is not ok for me to do. There are experiences I have had in the past that have just taught me to stay away from certain things. For me it is too easy to fall down. But I should never judge another person for not living to the same standards. I also can not allow someone else's freedom to cause me to step away from a conviction that I have. The important thing is to be convinced in my own heart that I am in alignment with my own convictions. At the end of the day God is going to hold me accountable for my own choices and convictions; not those of other people.

Second, Paul says we should live our lives in consideration of others. In verse 13 Paul encourages us to live our lives in a way that does not cause a brother to stumble. There is a consideration that I must have. I have been given the right to do many things, but that does not give me the permission to use it. There is nothing wrong with me having a glass of wine at dinner. The Bible does not forbid it. That said, doing so would really cause some people to stumble. I have to say no. There is not reason to cause confusion when it is so easily avoidable.
The final thing that I feel like God is saying to me is in verse 19. Paul challenges us to focus on things that build each other up. I really do not understand why we spend so much time tearing each other down and dividing ourselves over stupid debates. Why should I ever tear down someone who God has built up in order to make them behave just as I do? It is crazy. I want to just focus on living my life out before God and sharing life with others. There are so many good things that we get to do, I really feel like it is a great shame to waste time on arguing over what we should not be doing.

Prayer:
I pray that You protect me as I think through the application of what is on my heart. It is easy to get side tracked in this type of discussion and end up approving things in my life that You have asked me to stop doing. Help me to stop thinking about others and just connect with the convictions that You have placed on my heart for my own life. I do not want to be divided in my conscience. Even as I sit here tonight I know that You are still waiting on me to cut out some things from my life. I am grateful that I have Your Grace covering me while I struggle with my flesh in these areas.


I also pray that you really place a burden on my heart for the people watching me. Help me learn to live life in a way that will never cause another person to stumble. Give me the love I need to enable me to deny myself for the sake of weaker people around me. I also pray that all my conversations and interactions with others focus only on things that are good. Things that are pure. Things that build another person up.