Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; for it is written, "As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God." So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.
Romans 14:10-12

Isn’t it amazing how we naturally look for reasons to feel superior to whoever we’re talking to? It’s the opposite of Christian humility, which by definition is regarding the other person as more important than myself.

If I choose to abstain from certain activities for the Lord’s sake, I will tend to judge other Christians who still participate in them. I’ll convince myself I’m a better Christian than they are because I don’t do whatever it was.

If I’m one of those who just doesn’t see a problem with whatever the activity was, I’ll tend to look down on those who feel conscience-bound to avoid it. I’ll convince myself that I must have a stronger faith then they do, or something like that.

We’re not talking about actual sinful behavior here, stuff that God clearly commands us to avoid but personal decisions about entertainment that for some people presents an occasion for temptation, a stumbling block, but that for others is perfectly innocent.

My opinion of the decisions someone else makes in his effort to stay close to Jesus is of very little value. We each have to make the choices that will keep us on track, and we each will give an account to God for our decisions. His opinion is the only one that matters.

Lord, help me to be faithful in the choices I make. Keep me close to You, and give me a heart of true humility that respects the person I’m talking to and considers him or her as more important than myself. Walk me through today with these attitudes, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

Pastor Dan Giles