Don’t quarrel
Day 574, Sunday, Mar. 8
Romans 14:1-11
Yesterday we read about the importance of loving one another. Today we see what that looks like in practice.
We saw in Acts, and will continue to see through the New Testament, that the believers did not always agree on how much of the Jewish law Christians were expected to follow.
Paul was emphatic that the new gentile believers were not required to be circumcised, and the leaders of the Jerusalem church agreed. Other matters, like dietary laws and celebration of special days, weren’t so clearly resolved.
Paul himself is not inclined to put as much legal burden on new believers as some of the more traditional Jewish leaders are.
“Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters,” he said, then continued, “One person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables.” The fact that Paul considers the person who has the more restrictive legalistic diet as having the weaker faith makes it clear what side he is on. We’ll see him express similar views about eating meat sacrificed to idols.
Another dispute he speaks of here is the fact that some people consider some days to be sacred, but others consider all days to be the same. We still have arguments about what days, if any, should be observed as special.
Paul considers such questions to be matters of individual conscience and urges tolerance.
“If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord,” he said. If even life or death has so little effect on our relationship with God, why should be be concerned about lesser things like dietary laws and special day observances?

Sunday meditation

Psalms 90:11-17
If only we knew the power of your anger! Your wrath is as great as the fear that is your due. Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
Relent, Lord! How long will it be? Have compassion on your servants. Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, for as many years as we have seen trouble. May your deeds be shown to your servants, your splendor to their children.
May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us—yes, establish the work of our hands.

Prayer focus
Show us, God, how many of the things we get upset about really don’t matter. Grant us the peace that comes from trusting in your grace.

-Rev. Mark Fleming