I remember the first time I drank alcohol and felt buzzed. I was in high school and a couple friends of mine had gotten a bottle of wine. I knew it was illegal for me to drink it. I’d been told it was sinful to be drunk. And I didn’t like being bad.
But I was so curious. So I had some. I remember not liking the taste but really enjoying the effects.
Later I was wracked with guilt. I confessed to my mom the next day. I was so surprised by her reaction. I was expecting horrified disgust. Instead, she told me a story of when she had drunk too much wine one time. Knowing my mom had gotten inebriated kind of rocked my world.
I reevaluated drinking in particular, sin in general, and forgiveness. I contemplated the difference between mistakes and rebellion. I also wondered about those “sins” that aren’t explicitly in the Bible. Are they really sin? Do they just often lead to sin?
Today’s verse talks a bit about things like that. God told the Israelites in the Old Testament that they should only eat meat from certain animals, cooked in certain ways. Eating the “unclean” animals was a sin.
The Gentiles that begin following Jesus in the New Testament don’t know anything about that law — or any of the other 600+ laws for that matter.
So how can these two groups of Christians share a meal together? What is right and what is wrong?
His answer is one of love. First loving God and then living your neighbor. (I think love is always the right answer.)
Let’s say I want to paint my barn blue. I think God will love blue and I am joyfully planning to beautify my barnyard in praise to God. Now let’s say my neighbors come by, and I mention my plans. They seem horrified. When I ask why, they explain that in their culture blue is the color of evil and death. My barn is apparently front and center in their view of the surrounding landscape and they would be afraid every time they glanced out their window.
Should I not paint my barn blue?
Paul says I should not. Because love should be my guiding principle. Although I don’t see any sin or shame in painting my barn blue, it would offend and lessen the quality of my neighbors’ lives. That would not be loving them. And if I’m not loving my neighbor, I’m not loving God.
So, whether I eat shrimp, drink vodka, go to certain websites, wear certain clothes, (insert your thing here), or paint barns blue, even though the act of it may not be sinful for me, to glorify God I must also consider how my actions affect other people.
Dear God,
Thank you for giving me the golden standard of love to know right from wrong. The law was too complicated for the Israelites and is also too complicated for me to fully obey. Thank you for sending Jesus so that I only need to focus on love. Please remind of to always seek to love you and my neighbor in everything I do or don’t do.
CamDevo 