If You Don't Like It Don't Eat It

Romans 14:3

Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him.

We all believe different things as it pertains to God. Within the protestant camp alone there are so many denominations and tribes who split off because of differing views about what is accepted. One believed in Music in worship and another did not. One believed in women in the pulpit another one did not. One believed in being baptized in the spirit as evidenced by speaking in tongues another one just believed that water baptism was sufficient. We all believe different things but one thing is central, we all believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that God raised him from the dead. Much of the time what we disagree about God could care less about. We spend too much time majoring in the minor.

The Apostle Paul recognized this with early believers who were having an issue with people eating meat sacrificed to idols. New Christians were going to meat markets purchasing meat that could have been sacrificed to idol gods. It would be like us going in buying groceries from a store owned by an Atheist. His beliefs don’t have anything to do with the food I’m going to take home and bless before I eat but some weaker in the faith may not be able to get past the fact that the owner is an atheist.

Food and sex are oftentimes closely related. What is appetizing to one person may not be appeasing to the next. When you are married the marriage bed is undefiled but many Christians still debate as to what is pagan and what is Christian. I don’t think God really cares what we do so long as it does not blatantly go against his Holy Standards.

We as Christians make a big deal out of the freedom of those who embrace their sexuality in the marriage bed. Everything God made on a man and a woman ought to be enjoyed by their spouse. The problem comes when the prudish judges the freedom of those who are comfortable in their sexuality, those who are naked and unashamed. But there is also a problem when the sexually enlightened judge those who are prudish. Whatever you do you must work out in your spirit whether God is pleased or not. Once you have confirmed in scripture and in prayer that you are not in open violation to God’s word then that is between you and God. If there is something on the menu that you don’t like, then don’t eat it. But just because someone else likes it don’t condemn them. You don’t have to beat people up for not believing as you do.

Whenever you go to the grocery store you don’t pick up every item in the store but only what fits your taste. You don’t avoid the whole store simply because they sell one item you don’t like. We spend too much time judging people for what they have in their cart instead of what they have in their heart.

Romans 14:13 therefore let us not judge one another anymore but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brothers way.

John Maxwell gives twelve steps from this chapter in Romans from his leadership bible on how to handle brothers/sisters who have differing values:

1. Be open, not condescending (vv. 1-3)
2. Remember that everyone answers to the Lord not to you (v4)
3. Cling to your own convictions (v.5).
4. Whatever your values, your motive should be to please God (vv.609).
5. You are ultimately accountable to the Lord (vv. 10-12)
6. Do not cause anyone to stumble (v13).
7. Don’t let others impose their values on you, and vice versa (v.14)
8. Make love your highest aim (v.15).
9. Major on the majors and minor on the minors (vv. 16-18)
10. Pursue peace and adding value to people (v. 19).
11. Don’t destroy anyone by imposing your values on them (vv. 20-22).
12. Anything is wrong that is not done out of personal faith (v. 23).

Dear God, help me to enlighten not to offend my brothers/sisters. I only want people to experience the abundance of life available to them not cause them to stumble. You know my heart. Help me to always represent you and not myself, not my will but your will be done in my life.

In Jesus Name.
Amen.