“Bearing with each other”
By Rev. Michael Stonhouse
Meditation – Saturday, February 10, 2024
Romans 14:1-23 (Forward, p. 12) CEV p. 1185
Given that the two examples that the apostle Paul uses in today’s passage, that of diets and days of religious observance, don’t seem to have much relevance for us today, we might be inclined to dismiss this passage altogether. However, in reality, it does deal with something very contemporary, and very appropriate for today. It has to do with people with varying differences of opinion and how we deal with them—or, in other words, how we bear with each other.
Sadly, today’s Western society seems to be more divided, more at odds with each other, than ever before. There are vastly differing opinions on the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, over federal and provincial policies and decisions, over gendre issues, over worship styles, over religion and ethnicity, over personal freedoms and government mandates, and over a host of other issues.
Paul talks of those whose faith is weak (Romans 14:1,2 and Romans 15:1) but we really cannot cast most of our disagreements in these terms. And nowhere does Paul say that one side of his present debates is correct, and the other is not.
What Paul does say is that we should not judge or criticize the other person or do anything that will upset or undermine that person’s faith or cause him or her to stumble. So, what that means in essence is that you will at least refrain from that activity or opinion when you are in that person’s presence—and perhaps, ‘heaven forbid’, even give up your offending activity or opinion for that other person’s sake. (Well, that goes against everything our society holds dear about our personal rights and freedoms). But Paul says that the other person’s welfare, that person’s faith, is far more important than our personal rights. After all, he says, Jesus gave up all His rights and freedoms for that same person’s well-being, so should not we do the same?
(I don’t know about you, but I find this message to be very, very difficult, but I suspect that it was hard for Paul’s readers as well. Sobeit. So, let us seek the Lord’s wisdom and direction as to how we might do this. Amen.
Forward notes: “Let us then pursue what makes for peace and for mutual edification” (verse 19).
“The first Sunday after I moved to a different state, my family and I attended a nearby Episcopal church. At the end of the service, several people invited us to lunch. All our belongings were still in boxes, and we did not know a soul in town, so naturally, we enthusiastically said yes.
“Throughout the meal, I learned about those around the table. The vegan, yoga-enthusiast professor like to run marathons and spoke of the earth as our sibling in creation. Next to him sat a gentleman who talked about his extended cab pickup truck, the benefits of fracking for petrol, and which guns he preferred to take to the shooting range. The stories went on like this, where each person described a different lifestyle or political leaning from the person sitting next to them.
“As we shared this meal, there was honesty, laughter, and mutual respect, despite the differences in each person’s identities. On our way home, my husband and I agreed that we had just found our parish family.”
Moving Forward: “Invite a diverse group to a meal at your home.”
A concluding note: Our author’s experience gives a wonderful example of when people do accept each other’s varying opinions and can live in peace with them. But, what about when people feel frightened or ill at ease with conflicting opinions and feel judged or threatened by them? And what if this negatively affects their relationships or their sense of well-being? (I certainly know this to be true with regards to the Canadian and American political scenes and with regards to Covid and its regulations and responses). This is where ‘the tire hits the road’ and we must make some very difficult decisions!