Daily Devotional for Friday, July 11

The Conclusion

“Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend,” 1 Corinthians 8:13.

In the United States of America, we have lived for many years in freedom with certain inalienable rights. These rights are the foundation of our country and are worth fighting for. During the Covid outbreak, we saw some of these freedoms being threatened and we quickly realized just how precious they are. There was a point when many of us recognized we had to fight back and take a stand. Fighting for our rights as a nation is appropriate; however, God’s people need to be careful not to adopt an attitude of entitlement. Our lives must be governed by the highest power, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

We all have the right to do as we please in our daily life. We eat what we want to eat, wear what we want to wear, go where we want to go, and say what we want to say. But what if something we are doing is causing a brother or sister to stumble in their walk with the Lord? Paul told the Corinthian church that it is better to not do anything that would put a stumbling block in the way of another member. This is the law of love. Love does not seek its own or insist on its own rights (1 Corinthians 13:5). Love cares about the other person above self.

Take a moment to examine your heart. There may be things in your life that you have the right to do but are not edifying to the body of Christ. Are you willing to eliminate certain behaviors from your life when you recognize they may be harmful to someone else in their spiritual walk? May we show forth a genuine, sacrificial love for one another as Christ has shown to us.

REFLECTION

“Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another”

(Romans 12:10).

Darla Goodrum