Hello howdy do
Have you ever caught adherents of other faiths publicly denigrating each other the way Christians do? I haven’t. Sometimes the vitriol we spew online and from the pulpits/pew leaves a lot to be desired. This was, in part, the kind of background issues which influenced today’s Holy Nougat
“Let not then your good be evil spoken of:”. Romans 14:16 ASV
In a devotional reflection on faith, one author suggested that in the faith vs works debate; it’s not either/or; but both … and. This implies that our faith is, for the most part, a public event. Notwithstanding that, our life is about pleasing God, hence we work valiantly to maintain the delicate balance between public witness and personal integrity.
So we get to those grey-areas, those matters which are sometimes cause for great internal debates within the family of God – What to wear, what to eat, how to live, etc. The temptation is to simply be, and tough turkey to those who disagree with our views. (A very typical recent example arises from the liberal-conservative arguments). It is my view that the Pauline writer was very clear that circumcision and diet created schisms in the early church diluted our wider witness. Likewise, our sometimes public heated debates also have the potential to detract from our greater purpose – undermining our testimony by our actions.
How then do we live?
With our love for God shining through us in our love (and respect) for our neighbors and also for ourselves. Determining how to maintain our passion without dehumanizing the other (especially when the other also professes faith in Jesus). By allowing our actions to speak to God’s mercy and grace, despite. Being mature enough to apologize when necessary. In short, ensuring that our good is not outweighed by our our momentary relapse.
Hard work, not impossible
In Christ’s love and grace . . .
