A closer look at the chapter:
Welcome with open arms fellow believers who don't see things the way you do.We could probably stop right there and have our plate full with changes we need to make toward each other. There's more:
Do you have any business crossing people off the guest list or interfering with God's welcome? If there are corrections to be made...God can handle that without your help.I think the hardest part of a faith walk is understanding that God is working inside the lives of every believer, regardless of what I think about that believer's choices and situation.
It is so darn tempting to micromanage each other with our lofty ideals; nevermind that we might not pass that same measuring stick if we used it on ourselves.
Our job is to love each other...especially each other, since the outside world judges a faith walk by how we love fellow believers. They may opt out just because they see how we install our petty tyrannies on each other.
So 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.
Forget about deciding about 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.You've heard the adage: when you are a guest in someone's home, leave it in better shape than you found it.
Perhaps it works on people as well. Romans 14 is titled: Cultivating Good Relationships. For me, it says lift up other believers so their lives are easier, not harder.
We can truly love each other even when we totally disagree, leaving the jousting to God.
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