Scripture – Romans 14:1-12 NRSVUE
14 Welcome those who are weak in faith, but do not argue with them about their personal opinions. 2 Some people's faith allows them to eat anything, but the person who is weak in the faith eats only vegetables. 3 The person who will eat anything is not to despise the one who doesn't; while the one who eats only vegetables is not to pass judgment on the one who will eat anything; for God has accepted that person. 4 Who are you to judge the servants of someone else? It is their own Master who will decide whether they succeed or fail. And they will succeed, because the Lord is able to make them succeed.
5 Some people think that a certain day is more important than other days, while others think that all days are the same. We each should firmly make up our own minds. 6 Those who think highly of a certain day do so in honor of the Lord; those who will eat anything do so in honor of the Lord, because they give thanks to God for the food. Those who refuse to eat certain things do so in honor of the Lord, and they give thanks to God. 7 We do not live for ourselves only, and we do not die for ourselves only. 8 If we live, it is for the Lord that we live, and if we die, it is for the Lord that we die. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. 9 For Christ died and rose to life in order to be the Lord of the living and of the dead. 10 You then, who eat only vegetables—why do you pass judgment on others? And you who eat anything—why do you despise other believers? All of us will stand before God to be judged by him. 11 For the scripture says,
“As surely as I am the living God, says the Lord,
everyone will kneel before me,
and everyone will confess that I am God.”
12 Every one of us, then, will have to give an account to God.
From Karen Richardson
Years ago the church I was at decided we were going to fast every Friday of Lent and donate the money to World Development. One of the family’s had a 9- and 4-year-old. They decided the 9-year-old could fast for lunch, and the 4-year-old would fast for his morning treat at preschool. The young one came home one Friday, and mom knew right away that something was up. Giving the child that look he exclaimed “Well Jesus wouldn’t hate me for one lousy cookie.’
We do not all worship, pray, interpret scripture or enhance our spiritual lives in the same way at Rockwood Stone and that seems to be okay. We are free to express differences of opinions and to have others express theirs. We learn from one another whether it is from someone’s spiritual practices, someone’s interpretation of a scripture passage, or from someone’s doubts, questions or lack of faith. We often use the same words but one’s person perception of God or Holy Spirit or Jesus Christ might be quite different from another’s. It is only in conversation or small group gatherings that we are able to express this. I’m sure if we all reflected on a scripture, a hymn, a sermon we would all glom on to different things and that is a reflection of where we are at during that particular moment because maybe next year, next month, next week, tomorrow it would be quite different. While checking the commentaries on this passage there was a question Why is praying at 3 AM (called Quora) important – who knew! I had never heard of that and although I can agree with the concept of it being a time of quiet with no distractions, I can assure you that I won’t be setting an alarm for 3 AM to pray. Can I appreciate and even envy other’s commitment to their prayer time that they would awake at 3 AM to pray – absolutely but I certainly don’t judge those who do not and hope that I am not judged for this difference in a spiritual practise. I may be striving to be and do the best I can be as I believe God would want me to be, but I am stumbling and falling along the way and trying to trust in God’s grace.
Contemplation and Conversation
Are there practices that you reject but accept the people who follow them?
Are there practices that are important to you,
but you know others do not follow and you are okay with that?
Prayer
Holy mystery, wholly love, help us to listen and respect others’ opinions
as we would want them to respect ours.
Help us to learn and keep an open mind to hear your still small voice for our lives. Amen.
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