Walking on Eggshells

Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble. (1 Corinthians 8:13 NKJV)

In the past, I considered the act of resisting a doing something on the basis of someone else being offended as a compromise.

I'd make comments like "If it offends them that's their problem!" or "I'm fine, they'll have to deal with it." But this response is selfish in nature and doesn't account for others weaknesses. Just because I approve of something doesn't mean it's beneficial and edifying to others.

So why care about other people's weaknesses? Because we're supposed to be salt! The preservation and protection of others.

I am not suggesting that we compromise our walks with God so we don't upset everyone around us. But as a Christian, we are called to make intentional sacrifices, even compromises with our own desires for the preservation of others.

Is eating meat evil in itself? nope! Paul is talking about the tree of life here not the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. One tree logically says "is this good to eat? eat it." the other tree says "will this action produce life in others?"... IOW, what is the fruit of my actions? Just because it may be pleasant for me at the time what is it producing in my family, friends, and folks around me?

Some call this type of living "walking on eggshells", Paul would agree. We have to be very careful of what we do in the midst of others. What you and I promote or resist has a blatant effect on those around us.

I'm not referring to the "fear of man". There is a difference between the fear of man and sacrificing our own desires out of the "love for man". Living in this manner fulfills the command to think of others more highly than ourselves (Phil 2:3).

“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive. No one should seek their own good, but the good of others. (1 Corinthians 10:23, 24 NIV)

With ♥️ Andrew

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