How Easy to Judge!
One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. Romans 14:5
Recommended Reading: Romans 14:1-13
When Charles E. Fuller helped pioneer the ministry of radio evangelism in the 1920s, a fellow clergyman denounced him. Satan is the prince of the power of the air, said the man; so how can Christians have anything to do with the airwaves? Furthermore, claimed the critic, radio would "give one preacher too much prominence," would be too "costly," and would develop a "stay-at-home" attitude among believers.
How easy it often is to judge! We'd have a less critical spirit and fewer "church fights" if we better understood Romans 14. Here the apostle Paul tells us that while we must be adamant about the fundamental truths of the Christian faith, we should have maturity when it comes to non-essential matters. The Bible's rule is: "Let each be fully convinced in his own mind" (Romans 14:5). After all, Paul asked bluntly, "Who are you to judge another's servant?" (verse 4).
Our core beliefs are unshakable and unchanging. But on secondary issues, there's greater liberty for a variety of opinions. Think about this: If we all agree on everything, we double our chances of being wrong.
"If two people agree about everything, one of them is unnecessary."Ruth Bell Graham
After I read the above devotion by Dr. David Jeremiah I was thinking about some of the petty things that people in the church argue or disagree about. Things like if you sit too much, stand too much, too much up & down, wearing hats, dressing up, dressing down, if SS is before or after church, the list goes on & on. I mean seriously, in the "big picture of things" does it really matter? Hopefully many of you will say, "No" they don't & we shouldn't get hung up on those things, but unfortunately it is often things like these that divide the church.
Then I thought about this outside of the church. Think about the small things at home that really get to us like a spouse or child not closing cabinet doors, leaving towels on the floor, not putting shoes away, the list goes on & on. Truth is, these things don't really "matter" in our relationships or how that person provides & takes care of the family, or if the child grows up to be a teacher, nurse, or engineer. If you are a type A, anal person like myself, it is no easy task not to take those things to heart even though deep down I know it really doesn't matter. So I need to remind myself to look at the person & their good qualities, not the mess or disorganization & be very thankful to God for allowing them to be a part of my life.
