DON'T MAKE OTHER PEOPLE FALL

Romans 14:19-21  Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother to fall. (NIV)
 

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God is working in all of His children. But we all start from a different place to each other (religious, ethnic, social, cultural). So we ought to realise that He is doing different things in each of us, enabling us to conform our hearts and actions to His will. The Lord wants us to be fully convinced in our own minds that the changes in our lives are pleasing to Him. When other believers behave differently, we may be troubled - either angry that they are not 'as good' as we are, or frustrated that we are not 'as good' as them.

Those attitudes are wrong because they lead us away from the Lord if we compare ourselves with others. Worse still if we feel that we have to behave in a certain way, even though it goes against our conscience, because a brother or sister sets a different example. So, Paul warns each believer to think about the effect of their behaviour on others. It is not right to live as though we have no impact on the lives of others. It is better not to do something which your conscience allows, rather than to trouble the conscience of other believers.

In many ways that is no different from a healthy family life, in which we seek not to offend others although they may think differently to us. But it is much more important in God's family. If other believers fall because of how we behave, then we must seriously think through the decisions which we make. Even if we are settled that something is acceptable before the Lord, if others would be offended, then refrain. They may still be struggling with some matter which relates to it; let us not turn their struggle into a fall.

Prayer:  Gracious God. Thank You for being so kind to me, understanding how difficult I find it to learn a new way of life in Christ. Thank You for Your patience when I struggle to learn what pleases You. I am sorry when I make that task more difficult for other believers by offending their conscience in the way I live. Please help me to think about others as well as myself as I make decisions, so that glory will come to You from my life and from the lives of other believers around me. In Jesus' Name. Amen.