For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence. It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak. (Romans 14:20-21)
In Romans 14:20-21, Paul wrote to Roman Christians imploring them to not just think about their actions, but also about the impact their actions had on others. This message is not limited to dietary restrictions or what one can or cannot eat. It is a message about living in compassion toward those God has placed along our path.
Paul was teaching us about what it means to really have love in action. Our job is not just to protect our own faith, but also to watch over the spiritual well-being of those around us. Our liberty as New Testament believers, as Paul reminded us, should not become a stumbling block for others. Instead, it should reflect the love and mercy of Christ.
Again, this goes well beyond our diet. Paul was really referring to our lifestyle. Do our words, our actions and our decisions help lead people closer to Jesus or push them further away?
As we mature in our faith, we understand that our faith is not simply for personal growth, but so God can use us to help develop others through depositing love and faith into them.
We should live as people who choose love, who choose faith, who choose mercy as we interact with those around us. Our freedom in Christ is meant to help us love others more and trust the Holy Spirit to teach them as we share the truth of God’s Word in love.
Practical Application
Sometimes the way to show your faith toward someone else isn’t to debate with them or talk down to them about where their faith is. Many times, it means asking the Holy Spirit to reveal to you how to show compassion and meet them at their level of revelation.