In review of Romans 14:12-13 this morning, I read “Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God. So let’s stop condemning each other. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall.” (NLT)
I need to be cautious and not base my moral judgments on my opinion, personal dislikes, or cultural bias rather than on the Word of God. I can cause my brothers or sisters to stumble. Paul wants to remind me to be both strong in faith and sensitive to others' needs. I need to constantly monitor the effects of my behavior on others.
Everything I do influences someone else. Some decisions are good for me and also good for others. But sometimes it’s tempting to make a decision that might be fine for me but would harm the people around you.
There is an “Influence Test” I can use when I’m making decisions. I simply ask: Will this harm others?
The Influence Test is the opposite of what culture encourages. Culture teaches me to think of myself only: What do I need? What do I want?
But God expects me to think of those around me, too.
Romans 14:12-13 in the Living Bible translation says, “Each of us will give an account of himself to God . . . Try to live in such a way that you will never make your brother stumble by letting him see you doing something that he thinks is wrong” (TLB).
Whether I like it or not, I’m being watched by others. I’m in this boat with others called humanity. If I decide to drill a hole in the bottom of the boat, everyone else will be affected.
The Bible says that one day I’ll be judged on how my decisions have affected other people. God takes this seriously.
One vivid picture of this is with parents and others who have children in their lives. I’m directly influencing the next generation as my daughter and grandsons watch the decisions I make. They see whether I treat rude people with respect or return rudeness. They know if I lie to your boss about being sick just so I can get a day off. They’re learning what’s appropriate by what I watch on television and what I let them watch.
Consider: “Am I a good neighbor to the people who live closest to me?”
The random people I come in contact with every day are watching me, too, the new guy working the checkout at the retail store, or the restaurant server who’s having a hard day and takes it out on me.
As a Christian, I can’t just respond to these things however I want. If I do, the non-Christians around me may look and say, “If that’s what a Christian is, forget it!”
Romans 15:1-2 says, “Even if we believe that it makes no difference to the Lord whether we do these things, still we cannot just go ahead and do them to please ourselves; for we must bear the ‘burden’ of being considerate of the doubts and fears of others” (TLB).
Mature people limit their freedom for the benefit of others. They consider how their decisions will affect people around them. They limit their own freedom out of love. They use the Influence Test and ask, “How will it affect others?”
In summary, each of us will give a personal account to God. Stop condemning each other. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall. Be both strong in faith and sensitive to others' needs. Constantly monitor the effects of my behavior on others. Everything I do influences someone else. There is an “Influence Test” I can use when I’m making decisions. I simply ask: Will this harm others? Culture teaches me to think of myself only. But God expects me to think of those around me, too. I’m being watched by others. One day I’ll be judged on how my decisions have affected other people. Mature people limit their freedom for the benefit of others. They consider how their decisions will affect people around them. They use the Influence Test and ask, “How will it affect others?”
Father, thank you for this reminder that what I do, affects others. I pray that through the Holy Spirit working in my life, that I consider my actions and remember the influence I can have on those around me. I ask you also for wisdom and guidance for my day, my work, my tasks, my leadership and my= interaction with others. I pray these things through your Son Jesus name, Amen.
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