Food For Thought: On Romans 14, Sandwiches and Good Times

Yeah. I'ma do it.

I'ma do it.

Post a WHOLE chapter of the bible. I rarely do such. I just read this this morning, and found it... important.

Read through it if you can... tell an Oldgirl how you feel about it. I'll put my 2 cents in at the end of the chapter. I've been reading through the book of Romans with my play Mama, a chapter a day (HATE that we almost done :::cries:::). We pick it apart like bones from a piece of good fish, lol.

Parts that stood out to me are highlighted in red.

This is taken from the Message Version of the Bible.


Romans 14

Cultivating Good Relationships

1 Welcome with open arms fellow believers who don't see things the way you do. And don't jump all over them every time they do or say something you don't agree with—even when it seems that they are strong on opinions but weak in the faith department. Remember, they have their own history to deal with. Treat them gently.

2-4For instance, a person who has been around for a while might well be convinced that he can eat anything on the table, while another, with a different background, might assume he should only be a vegetarian and eat accordingly. But since both are guests at Christ's table, wouldn't it be terribly rude if they fell to criticizing what the other ate or didn't eat? God, after all, invited them both to the table. Do you have any business crossing people off the guest list or interfering with God's welcome? If there are corrections to be made or manners to be learned, God can handle that without your help.

5Or, say, one person thinks that some days should be set aside as holy and another thinks that each day is pretty much like any other. There are good reasons either way. So, each person is free to follow the convictions of conscience.

6-9What's important in all this is that if you keep a holy day, keep it for God's sake; if you eat meat, eat it to the glory of God and thank God for prime rib; if you're a vegetarian, eat vegetables to the glory of God and thank God for broccoli. None of us are permitted to insist on our own way in these matters. It's God we are answerable to—all the way from life to death and everything in between—not each other. That's why Jesus lived and died and then lived again: so that he could be our Master across the entire range of life and death, and free us from the petty tyrannies of each other.

10-12So where does that leave you when you criticize a brother? And where does that leave you when you condescend to a sister? I'd say it leaves you looking pretty silly—or worse. Eventually, we're all going to end up kneeling side by side in the place of judgment, facing God. Your critical and condescending ways aren't going to improve your position there one bit. Read it for yourself in Scripture:

"As I live and breathe," God says,
"every knee will bow before me;
Every tongue will tell the honest truth
that I and only I am God."
So tend to your knitting. You've got your hands full just taking care of your own life before God.

13-14Forget about deciding what's right for each other. Here's what you need to be concerned about: that you don't get in the way of someone else, making life more difficult than it already is. I'm convinced—Jesus convinced me!—that everything as it is in itself is holy. We, of course, by the way we treat it or talk about it, can contaminate it.

15-16If you confuse others by making a big issue over what they eat or don't eat, you're no longer a companion with them in love, are you? These, remember, are persons for whom Christ died. Would you risk sending them to hell over an item in their diet? Don't you dare let a piece of God-blessed food become an occasion of soul-poisoning!

17-18God's kingdom isn't a matter of what you put in your stomach, for goodness' sake. It's what God does with your life as he sets it right, puts it together, and completes it with joy. Your task is to single-mindedly serve Christ. Do that and you'll kill two birds with one stone: pleasing the God above you and proving your worth to the people around you.

19-21So let's agree to use all our energy in getting along with each other. Help others with encouraging words; don't drag them down by finding fault. You're certainly not going to permit an argument over what is served or not served at supper to wreck God's work among you, are you? I said it before and I'll say it again: All food is good, but it can turn bad if you use it badly, if you use it to trip others up and send them sprawling. When you sit down to a meal, your primary concern should not be to feed your own face but to share the life of Jesus. So be sensitive and courteous to the others who are eating. Don't eat or say or do things that might interfere with the free exchange of love.

22-23Cultivate your own relationship with God, but don't impose it on others. You're fortunate if your behavior and your belief are coherent. But if you're not sure, if you notice that you are acting in ways inconsistent with what you believe—some days trying to impose your opinions on others, other days just trying to please them—then you know that you're out of line. If the way you live isn't consistent with what you believe, then it's wrong.


LadyLee's RANT, I mean, Thoughts

Well well well...

That's some good reading, ain't it? Some good information.

I am tripping on the vegetarian thing. Why is it that when I tell people that I am trying to transition to vegetarian, they automatically assume I'm about to jump on them about eating meat? What the world. Heck no. You do you. I do me. An Oldgirl just trying to be pain-free. Man, I've been known to stop and get a 20 piece hot wing and take it to a meeting... I dont' want any, but someone there may want a good hot wing, you know?

Hmm...

You do you. And I do me.

We should be able to sit down, enjoy each others company, split a sandwich, and watch a good episode of Good Times.

But tell me something... Why is it that us good Christian folk don't adhere to the standards presented there within, within this chapter? Because, you have to admit: this is a good chapter. Would clear up much mess if it was followed or taken a little serious.

This is a good explanation for why I don't get in arguments with folk over "religion". You never hear me hollering "My preacher better than yours" or "My church better than yours."

Heck, I don't even like religion. I fail miserably at whatever "rules" are set up. Sorry, that's just me. I just want to grow in my relationship with God. Help others on that road as I travel my own road. THAT IS ALL. Relationship. Not religion. Please and Thank you.

I don't fight with you. I'm just happy you found a church home where YOU are happy, content, and growing. Period. And maybe YOU can come back and share something with me that will help me in my growth, add to my being.

How about that?

CONCENTRATE on that. Instead of judging and criticizing others. (Man, people always got something to say when they figure out what church I go to. I don't care. I just make a mental note of you turning your nose up at me. And I MAKE sure not to criticize where YOU go to church. And go on from there).

Why is it that I have a better chance of having a healthy convo/discussion with an atheist, but have to deal with the closed-minded Christians? Baffles me.

Because at the end of the day, we should be able to agree to disagree...

And sit down and have a sandwich and watch a funny episode of Good Times.

Listen, I love people's opinion. I love getting an understanding of a person's opinion, whether it is like mine, or differs from mine. Why? because your opinion is critically important. It wasn't just formed yesterday. It is a culmination of all your hurt, joy, pain, failures, victories, needs, hatred, experiences, knowledge... it is a snapshot of who you are inside. I respect the cheese out of your opinion, like I said, whether it is the same as mine or different. I will tell you, I learn more about life when your opinion is different from mine.

We should be able to sit down and split a sandwhich... and watch an episode of Good Times.

That chapter above is about relationships. It delves heavy into how to cultivate good ones. As a result, it talks about how relationships go bad, most notably, centering on the judgmental nature of Christian folk, when all in all, everything should be centered on giving God glory and honor.

Hmm...

I have TERRIBLE issues with people who are always criticizing others. I've always thought to myself that such a person is doing so because they are not facing the issues of their own lives.

Two verses in particular, I find interesting:

So tend to your knitting. You've got your hands full just taking care of your own life before God.

and

22-23Cultivate your own relationship with God, but don't impose it on others. You're fortunate if your behavior and your belief are coherent. But if you're not sure, if you notice that you are acting in ways inconsistent with what you believe—some days trying to impose your opinions on others, other days just trying to please them—then you know that you're out of line. If the way you live isn't consistent with what you believe, then it's wrong.

I know one thing. I am not perfect. I am a work in progress, and I have many problems of my own, so much so that I don't have time to sit here and dog you out about yours. I don't say anything unless I can help your situation and be of encouragement in some way. Me dogging you out or looking down on you means for myself, that I am not dealing with or taking care of the problems of my own life. And that ain't good.

I like where it says that you're fortunate if your behavior and your beliefs are coherent, i.e., line up. That let's you know that yes, that is a problem for some people. I see it in myself, and in those around me. It goes so far to say that you may notice you have days when you are busting folk upside the head with your opinion (you know how folk can get) and days when you have ulterior motives, i.e., doing stuff to get people to accept you. It basically tells you to check yourself.

I try to check myself contstantly against that...

Am I being opinionated, instead of being helpful?
Are my motives, purposes and intents on the up and up?

Self-examination and self-assessment is critical.

For I hope to be moving into a place where my beliefs and actions are consistent...

Yes, work in progress indeed. And that's alright.

Whelp! My biblical rant has ended.

I like that chapter. Don't you? Wondering what you thought of it. You may see something different that I didn't see.

And

Wish they would teach that chapter in church more often...

Guess that's why it's important for you to read the Bible for yourself, eh?

*lee eating sandwich while watching Good Times*