Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. One man’s faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him. Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. Romans 14:1-4
Dear Lord Jesus, most welcoming and gracious savior, I start this day with the eyes of my heart savoring the last words of this very important text. You are the Master who will cause each of your servants to stand in the day of judgment. I very much need to remember this promise—for me, and for a growing host of brothers and sisters with whom I walk and worship you.
You will complete the good gospel-work the Spirit has begun in us… as diverse as we are, living somewhere in the continuum between weak faith and strong faith—non-meat eaters and meat eaters… non-wine drinkers and wine drinkers. And these culinary issues represent just two of a myriad of issues about which we, your servants, often get turned very sideways with one another. I can hardly wrap my mind around the challengers Paul faced in helping the multi-cultural, poly-perspective, socially-complex, theologically-diverse churches of Rome sing, “We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord…” Have mercy!
But, Lord Jesus, here’s where I need you to help me with this very issue. Please help me recognize the difference between disputable and indisputable matters. What is clear in the Scriptures, and what is not? The line seems to get increasingly challenged, blurred or changed. I realize, and gladly accept, that about many issues, your faithful servants will disagree until the second coming of Jesus. But give us fresh humility to tremble at your Word as the court and garden in which we will have these very important discussions.
Lastly, I need you to help me know how to relate to “non-meat eating” brethren, who seem to relish the role of “vocational weaker-broker”—fault-finders, conspiracy-hunters, liberty-smashers… self-appointed prosecuting attorneys in the Body of Christ. Help me Jesus, help me know how to engage them. I really just want to avoid and run from them. And, help me know how to engage my brethren who have now turned Christian liberty into epicurean fantasies—“Eat, drink, and be merry, for we have a big gospel!” Having escaped legalism they now feel free to over indulge, dangerously so. I’m tempted to join them, Jesus, but give me real gospel-freedom and much more wisdom to love well in the Body of Christ, as I seek to do all things for your glory. So very Amen, I pray, in your holy and healing name.
