Disagreeing graciously

Romans 14:1-12

¹ Accept other believers who are weak in faith, and don’t argue with them about what they think is right or wrong. ² For instance, one person believes it’s all right to eat anything. But another believer with a sensitive conscience will eat only vegetables. ³ Those who feel free to eat anything must not look down on those who don’t. And those who don’t eat certain foods must not condemn those who do, for God has accepted them. ⁴ Who are you to condemn someone else’s servants? Their own master will judge whether they stand or fall. And with the Lord’s help, they will stand and receive his approval.

⁵ In the same way, some think one day is more holy than another day, while others think every day is alike. You should each be fully convinced that whichever day you choose is acceptable. ⁶ Those who worship the Lord on a special day do it to honor him. Those who eat any kind of food do so to honor the Lord, since they give thanks to God before eating. And those who refuse to eat certain foods also want to please the Lord and give thanks to God. ⁷ For we don’t live for ourselves or die for ourselves. ⁸ If we live, it’s to honor the Lord. And if we die, it’s to honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. ⁹ Christ died and rose again for this very purpose—to be Lord both of the living and of the dead.

¹⁰ So why do you condemn another believer? Why do you look down on another believer? Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. ¹¹ For the Scriptures say,

“ ‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord,
‘every knee will bend to me,
and every tongue will declare allegiance praise to God.’ ”

¹² Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God.

In this passage there is an underlying call to unity, for believers to put aside their differences of opinion and agree on Christ. God did not make us robots and so the church is a very diverse group of people. God can handle the differences, He is not uncomfortable with it because He sees our hearts and knows us. 

How do I handle differences of opinion? Do I get defensive or argue? Do I withdraw and shutdown? Or do I believe what I believe with conviction, and trust others to God? Do I acknowledge that I do not have a monopoly on wisdom and that positions other than my own may be reasonable and healthy? 

God, please help me to manage myself well when differences of opinion arise. Help me to be gracious and to listen first, and speak second. Help me to remember that we are all in progress and right now we see only in part, but one day we will see in full. Amen. 

Written by Beth Waugh