1 Corinthians 8 - Day 779

1 Corinthians 8 - Day 779 (link to reading)

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 8:1-13 (especially verse 9)

Observation: Paul responds to the Corinthian believer's "question about food that has been offered to idols."

Application: My wife has the "gift" of poverty.  Having gone hungry for most of her childhood (at least that's how she remembers it), she has learned to clip coupons, pinch pennies and go without.  She get's a natural "high" whenever she can buy someone at a discount.  This was one of the endearing qualities that I found attractive in her.  If she lived in Rome at the time this letter was written, she would have been purchasing meat that had been offered to idols because it was on sale.

The mature believers understood that there is only one God, the Father, and one Lord, Jesus Christ.  In their minds, why pay more for meat when you can buy it at a discount.  Yet, in his wisdom, Paul instructs us to "be careful so that your freedom does not cause others with a weaker conscience to stumble (sin)."  Ultimately, our actions are to be inspired by our love for one another.

Prayer: Lord, please help me to be "patient and kind" with my neighbors...