“None
of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. If we live, we live
to The Lord; and if we die, we die to The Lord … So then each of us shall give
account of himself to The Lord. Therefore let us not judge one another
anymore, but rather resolve this; not to be a stumbling block or a cause to
fall in our brother’s way … if your brother is grieved because of your food
[action], you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your
food [actions] the one for whom Christ [also] died … for the Kingdom of God is
not eating or drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy
Spirit.” Romans 14:7, 12-13, 15, 17
I
know there is a lot of skipping around, but I wanted to get to the main point
of Paul’s discourse. A literal reading of this passage, actually the
entire chapter, reduces the point to whether or not food is clean or unclean
(fit to eat according to the Law of Moses). Food, of course, is not the
point in itself just as St. Paul states pointedly: “The Kingdom of God is
not eating or drinking …”
So
rather than read the passage in terms of “food”, look instead at one’s
[actions]. It is especially important to remember Paul is writing to a
particular audience for their own correction. He is not teaching the
Romans (or us) how to straighten out someone else. He is requiring that
we first take a look at our own actions before we concern ourselves with the
actions of others.
What
stirred me about this passage were news reports yesterday about the persons
killed and hurt, the buildings, churches, and homes destroyed by protesters
responding to the French parody magazine’s (Charlie Hebdo) intentional “finger
in the eye” of Muslims by deliberately (and with malice aforethought!)
publishing a caricature of the prophet Muhammad on the cover of its
magazine. We Americans may not have had a problem with it (free speech
and all), but Christians from countries around the world lost loved ones,
businesses, churches, and homes because someone in France thought it might be a
good idea to show terrorists they will not give in.
There
are, even in a secular civil society, limits to free speech as it is often
expressed, ‘Your rights end at the tip of my nose’. And
even though there is no love lost between the Western World and terrorists who
act ostensibly in the name if Islam, unnecessarily provoking anyone to the
point that innocent bystanders far removed are harmed is a direct violation of
all St. Paul holds up as good. And remember, St. Paul’s words have no
meaning to Islam. Then again, Paul was not writing to Muslims; he was
(and still is) writing to ‘infant’ Christians.
“Therefore
let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may
edify (build up) another. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of
[your rights] … [for] it is evil for one who [acts] with offense” (Romans
14:19-20). It is not about laying down for or giving in to radical
terrorists nor is it about those who so easily turn to violence. It is
about those who are harmed only because they were caught in the middle.
The magazine was published in France; those who died (there were ten confirmed
deaths as of yesterday) as a result of the violence stirred by the publication
were in Niger (Africa). Our actions have far-reaching consequences,
whether we intend it or not.
The
people of the Church are compelled by the Spirit of The Lord and the Written
Word to be agents of peace and faithfulness. Terrorists (at home and
abroad) will do what they will do for any reason or no reason. This does
not mean we have to roll in the feces with them.
Grace
and peace,
Michael
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