Tuesday Reading: Romans 14:15-20
Key Verse: Romans 14:19
19 So then let us pursue the things of peace, and the things for building up one another.
Devotion:
It is often the little things that we do that get under other people’s skin... We would normally go to some length to not outwardly annoy other people and we will try our best to keep the peace but it is sometimes the simple way that we do things that will be a stumbling block for others. Sometimes it is the very food that we eat that will annoy or upset others to the extent that they will not want to be around us or to associate with us; how then are we supposed to be able to tell them of the wonderful Saviour we have if we are not even going to get close to them through what we eat!
It is not going to be the end of the world to not eat something for a while just so that we can be close to someone. There is nothing that we will have to eat just because we like it instead of fitting in with what others would want. Basically what it comes down to is that we are not at the centre of the world! We all live together and we need to keep in mind other people’s needs as well as our own. Living as a Christian certainly does not mean getting your own way all the time; God will continue to remind us of that fact. But He is also willing and able to supply our needs when they do arise.
If we looked at what we consider to be our needs we would probably cringe if we had to ask God for them. Why then should we be any different with other people? We are all God’s people and we all have our differing needs. Being able to find a balance between our needs to find common ground and peace is where God wants us to head; to do that we have to start with peace in our own lives before trying to get others to have peace in their lives – doing that may mean making a personal sacrifice of giving up your wants...
Points to Ponder:
How do you differentiate between your wants and your needs?
Do you know what God would consider to be your needs?
