Be Considerate of Those Weak in Faith 

By Rev. Mark Bartsch, Chaplain

I have a daughter and a grandson who have eliminated gluten from their diets. When they come to visit, we have a gluten-free alternative; for example, a gluten-free pizza crust, or corn chips in place of wheat crackers. We could tease them about their special diets. We could make them feel very self-conscious about what they can and cannot eat. But that would express a hurtful, uncaring attitude. Out of love for them and our Lord, we do not treat them in that way. The Bible passage above is in a section titled “Concerning Food Sacrificed to Idols.”  Paul writes, “Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat sacrificial food they think of it as having been sacrificed to a god, and since their conscience is weak, the food is defiled.”

There is such a thing as Christian liberty. As Christians, we are free to participate in various God-pleasing activities. We know, for example, that it is acceptable to eat almost any food, or to drink nearly any drink. Someone, however, may be offended if I would drink a glass of wine. If that person is offended by my drinking that wine, and if I am free to do so, I want to be considerate of him or her and not force my liberty upon him or her. It would damage his or her conscience. “Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak.”

I would be sinning against that person by causing him or her to act against his or her conscience, and I would also be sinning against Christ. I may have the liberty to eat or drink or to engage in various activities as a Christian but not if the exercise of my rights is a stumbling block to those who are weak in faith.

How can you be considerate of those who are weak in faith? Listen to Paul: “If what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause them to fall.” Help those who are weak in faith to grow in faith. Read and study the Word of God together. Help them to grow in their understanding of Christian liberty.

Prayer: Each day, help all of us to grow in our faith in you. Move us to pray for those who are weak in faith. Move us to be instruments to help them to grow in faith through the power of your Word. Help us all to be prepared for the Last Day so that we may go to be with you forever in glory. In Jesus’s name we pray. Amen.