For some reason today’s verse makes me think of the mask “debate” this country had during the pandemic. I use debate loosely because most people did not participate in “a reasoned, organized, and formal discussion where opposing views are put forward, heard, and considered before deciding a course of action.”
The people with the strongest views seemed to simply decide their stance based on partisanship or loyalty to a favored personality. “I’m on the blue team so I must do this” or “I’m on the red team so I have to do this” or “I have to do this because my hero said so.”
This way of decision-making is contrary to how God wants His children to make decisions.
So how does God want us to decide what to do and how and when to do things?
Today’s verse says we are to consider what is good for all and to take every opportunity to work towards that. It doesn’t say to listen to one person’s idea of what is right and only do that. It doesn’t say to embrace your team’s ideology and hate everything else. It doesn’t say to make sure my rights are in tact or my needs are met or my life is improved. It says to work for the good of all.
How do I know what is good for all? After praying with an honest heart to ask God, my next step might be to listen to all the people. I can’t know what’s good for you if I don’t ask you and listen for the answer. Particularly I should include people I think I disagree with in my considerations. (Especially to the believers in that group. After all, today’s verse does include that last part about working for the good of all, especially for the other believers.)
In the mask example, I shouldn’t think about my rights or my comfort as much as I work for the good of others: their health, their safety, their comfort, their rights, their peace… their good. If by wearing a mask I can protect one vulnerable person from any infections I carry, that is one small way to work for the good of all.
Mask-wearing is just one of many things our society wants us to take sides on. This is the devil’s plan. Divide and conquer. That is not God’s plan. God’s plan is always love. How can I plan to love today, to work for the good of all?
Dear God,
Thank you for your love and for wanting all your children to participate in it. Your plan to love and work for the good of all is so much better than this world’s plan to pick a side and ride or die. I want to live in a world of love and peace not a world of hate and fear. Teach me how to work for the good of all today. Show me ways and times I am doing the wrong thing. Please forgive me and help me to change.
CamDevo 