Sat.’s Devo -Helping the Weak

Read: 1 Corinthians 8:1-11:1
Pagan ritual practice was so common place in their day. It involved animal and people sacrifice. Most of the Christians were new in their faith and they didn’t know if they should eat meat from the same butcher that supplied the idol worship or not. Paul and other mature believers knew that the idols were not real and had no power and they knew that just because they used an animal in their worship didn’t mean they couldn’t eat it for nourishment. Paul’s answer was that knowledge makes us feel important, but it is love that strengthens the church. He went on to tell them how to honor the weaker brother’s convictions instead of enjoying their freedom right in front of them.
In our day, we don’t think of eating without first saying the blessing. I have to admit, I forget to do that sometimes and used to feel guilty. I don’t anymore because I live in a state of gratitude and thanksgiving to God. I do love to say blessings over my food and I think it is wise because there are so many things in our food now that can harm us, but if I forget, I don’t fear something is going to happen to me or feel guilty. That may be a silly illustration, but the laws the Jews had were also silly. They had so added to the law of Moses to where they lived by their add-ons (called the Talmud) and had forsaken the true law. Jesus only gave us two laws: Love God, love people. So love has to be our highest goal in everything we do.
Next, Paul addresses the way the church judges leaders differently than it does fellow worshipers. I’m sure every pastor would ‘Amen’ to this chapter. The bottom line is that we should support our leaders in every way. God has raised up a man to fight for us in the political arena and we need to lay down our judgments and opinions about this man and support him because God supports him. When he takes office we need to get behind him. He is like a modern-day Paul who had such a hard time breaking into the church because of his past. We need to love him and pray for him because he is our Paul.
Side note: I blog 2 weeks in advance in case I go out of town or something happens to my computer so the election hasn’t happened but I will tell you what will happen. Trump will win in a landslide, but our president will do everything he can to stay there if he has to cause an incident. That is what I am praying will not happen. I am praying for a smooth transition. This is the election between dark and light, Satan and God and the devil is not going to go out without a fight. God is victorious! This is the church’s finest hour yet!!!
Lord, help us to choose to love instead of judgment and show us the way of escape when we are tempted.