Well, it’s another Sunday morning. “As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.” Romans, 14: 1-4 (ESV)
I find it so awesome the different ways our good LORD and Savior finds to give us lessons on patience. See, I often wonder just how strong I am in my walk and how much patience i have with others, I tend to open my mouth and blurt out when I should maybe learn to be still and listen. My dad would say that I would have my mouth running before I even push in the clutch to select a gear for my mind. This isn’t new, I have done this most of my life. It wasn’t till I grew older that I realized sometimes it’s better to keep quiet and listen. Age can be kind to us when it comes to learning to listen.
The other day I was listening to someone blurting out while in a group and I just really wanted to call them out on it, I wanted to tell them they would be better to stop and listen to what others have to say also. I wanted to remind them what it says in Luke 6:31 (ESV) where we are told,” Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.” At that time though, I remember that said I shouldn’t pass judgment on others, so I chose to keep my mouth shut, Instead. I chose to remember what was written in Proverbs 15:1 (ESV) where we are taught this truth: “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” I decided to simple pray for this person. I prayed for this person to find relief and to find what they are looking for. I prayed if they needed me I would be there to help them seek and find what’s troubling them and causing them to lash out at everyone. See, I could have argued with them and caused more issues with this person. I could have worked harder to prove my point and make them stumble in the belief they were trying to force on others. What would that have done for me? Where would that have left this person? Romans, 14:14 (ESV) tells us this, “I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean.”
So, making any statement to cause this person to stumble in their faith would have caused me to sin against them. Even when you are attacked and accused of untrue things, it is better to pray first before you blurt out in anger. Proverbs 15:18 (ESV) says this: “A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger quiets contention.” The fact is, you are allowed your own personal beliefs and the there is only one that truly can and will judge you for it will be our great LORD and Savior.
Let’s face it, we all have our own opinions on what is right or wrong, we should keep them to ourselves. Voicing opinions always causes someone to lash out, you see it on the internet all the time. If we can present facts, well that is different. Facts are just that and can’t be disputed. Matthew 7:1-2 (ESV) brings us this truth in these words in red, “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.”
So we should keep our mouths shut, it is hard to do sometimes. We can pray that the ones doing the attacking will find their happy place and correct what is driving them to attack others. We should pray that we see things correctly, and pray that if we are the misguided ones, our Lord will straighten our path. We should pray that if others are misguided our Lord will help them find their way. We can even help them if they ask us too. A friend of mine once said to pray at them, pray for them, pray with them if they’ll let you, and thats what we should always try to do. We must take every lesson our great God gives us as a reason to strengthen our faith. After-all, that is why God is giving us these lessons.
Judging others is a really hard Job, I am going to leave that to the only one qualified to do that. That makes things much easier for me. I just need to pray, love, and spread the good news of Jesus. 1 Corinthians 13:4-5 (ESV) tells us this, Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful. So, let me start my day with this prayer, Lord, please bless all of your servants, the ones that know they are your servant and the ones that are learning their way there. Thank you for all you are doing in all of our lives, God. Please give us strength to learn to have patience with others, and show others how to have patience with us also. Please straighten and light our path so we may walk with confidence as we move toward our eternal goal with you our wonderful and gracious Lord, Amen. Please know this also, God truly loves each and every one of you and so do I.
