A lesson from Paul...

If your brother is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother for whom Christ died. Do not allow what you consider good to be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men.

Romans 14:15-18

What really struck me, on rereading this verse, was the New KJV version of verse 16.

Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil.

I tend to get caught up in doing what I know is right, but sometimes I get carried away. It's these times when we Christians end up causing more harm than good.

What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. "Expel the wicked man from among you.” If any of you has a dispute with another, dare he take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the saints? ...The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers.

1 Corinthians 5:12-6:1,7-8

We tend to get caught up in "fixing" society to the litmus test of our Christian morals, but we're supposed to have a different set of rules from the world; that's what sets us apart. In our rush to make sure everyone else follow the Law, we forget what our true purpose is.

For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone. If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.

Romans 14:7-9 (emphasis added)

The Law was an old guide, all we need now is to live by the Holy Spirit and we can do no wrong. It seems so simple, yet it seems we all fail at this simple solution; I'm no exception.

With Christmas tomorrow, remember what it's truly about: God's gift to us of Jesus. He is our teacher, our friend, and the bringer of the Holy Spirit. Have a blessed Christmas everyone.