November 17, 2021

EDIFYING ANOTHER

Romans 14:19

Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.

Personal Challenge

Why should we be doing the things that God calls us to do in our lives? Initially it is because we love our God and desire to please Him and in our own way give back to Him some of the gift He has given us. It is never possible to repay Him for His great mercy and love that He has poured out on us. As we continue to live this way, we begin to understand that part of this way of living also ends up edifying those around us because our love for God overflows for love for those whom we come into contact. This whole section in the book of Romans talks about food and how eating certain foods at certain times can be a stumbling block to others. This was so important in the time when much of the food available was leftover from sacrifices to pagan gods. We do not have that situation today, but for those of us who practice fasting in our church life, there are similar issues, for both those who fast according to very strict rules and those who fast according to more flexible rules. Both parties can have a tendency to look down on the other if they take their eyes off of God and set them on their brothers and sisters. This is why Paul teaches us to pursue the things which make for peace and which edify one another. It is the things of God that are important and not the things of man. This applies to so many other things in our church life other than food. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!