Accept one another
Day 576, Tuesday, Mar. 10
Romans 15:1-13
Paul doesn’t hide his belief that dietary laws no longer apply, or his belief that bondage to that law is weakness. He says, “We who are strong out to bear with the failings of the weak and not please ourselves.”
So exactly what does he mean when he says to bear with the failings of the weak?
We can imagine that he would not partake of forbidden food in front of someone who would be disturbed by it, . We expect he would not argue with a person with a different viewpoint, or humiliate them for their belief.
This doesn’t mean that he hides his own beliefs, or pretends to always live by a standard he doesn’t accept.It also doesn’t mean that he is tolerant in all things—where something is clearly sinful he is willing to say so, and say it emphatically.
We face the same challenge with the beliefs and behaviors we adopt based on our faith, but that we recognize are debatable even among Christians.
We face decisions like abstinence from or use of alcohol and other substances, decisions about what kind of employment glorifies God, decisions about how we spend our time and money, decisions about political perspectives, decisions about what kind of entertainment to participate in.
All of these decisions, and more, should be informed by our understanding of what it means to live a Christlike life. We must take care, though, about believing that the conclusions we come to are the only ones that are really “Christian.”
Here we can heed Paul’s advice in verse 7: “Accept one another, then, just as Christ has accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.”
-Rev. Mark Fleming
Tuesday meditation
Psalms 91:9-16
If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.
“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”
Prayer focus
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.