Daily Devotional for Thursday, July 10

The Concern

“Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled,” 1 Corinthians 8:7.

Sometimes, as a person who has been saved for many years, when we ask if something is okay to do, we already know the answer. As a young, unlearned child of God, the answers to some of these questions may not always be so clear to the person. Many times, a young child of God is looking to see what others in the church are doing and thus form their opinions on what is right and wrong based on what they see. In doing this, they sometimes become confused as to what is right because what they are seeing others do would seem to be in conflict with what they know of the Word of God. They then see people in the church as hypocrites and stumble in their faith.

The concern we should have as a child of God and members of the Lord’s churches is to not cause these young, weak people in the faith to stumble because of what they see us doing. Jesus taught us “Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come! It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones” (Luke 17:1, 2). If our hearts are in the right place, we will be more concerned about others than ourselves, “Let no man seek his own, but every man another’s wealth” (1 Corinthians 10:24). Churches are filled with imperfect people who make mistakes and are not always the best examples for others, but it should not be because you are not trying.

REFLECTION

Love others enough to be concerned about what kind of example you are for them.

Tim Chambers