Listen

Welcome the person who is weak in faith—but not in order to argue about differences of opinion. One person believes in eating everything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. Those who eat must not look down on the ones who don’t, and the ones who don’t eat must not judge the ones who do, because God has accepted them. Who are you to judge someone else’s servants? They stand or fall before their own Lord (and they will stand, because the Lord has the power to make them stand).

Romans 14:1-4

Think

Too often, we get caught up in trying to be right — trying to say the right thing, do the right thing, believe the right thing. We want to practice our faith the “right way.” Sometimes, we care more about being right than we care about people.

Much of the language in this text about dietary practices may not relate to our modern context, but maybe we can relate to the question of how we treat people who practice their faith differently. Paul reminds us that it is by God alone that we have the power to stand. Not because anything we’ve done is right, but because of God.

What a gift to know that our worth isn’t tied to being right or wrong. What a gift to use our energy to love, welcome, and show compassion. What a gift to witness without judgment the beautiful diversity of ways people practice their faith.

Nick Carson

Question to Ponder:

Where or with whom do you feel like you can be yourself? What feels welcoming about that space or person? How can you create those spaces for others?

Pray

Thank you, God, that it’s not up to me to always be right.

If it was, I would probably fail.

Help me to live in the strength of your love.

Amen.

Go

Give thanks for here. For now. For you. Amen.