31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 32 Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God—33 even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved. 1 Corinthians 10:31-33
Paul summarizes chapter 10 of his first letter to the Corinthians. Remembering that Corinth was the fourth largest city in the Roman Empire, I would guess that the people faced the same challenges of urban life that are present in Houston. It must have been multicultural with all those tensions and opinions. There must have been religions of all sorts from around the known world. For sure there were the rich and the poor, the able and the unable, merchants and peasants. There are no written Bible as we know it today. Having guidelines, internal rules or gyroscope for faith was needed. Paul continues to advise against doing anything that would cause another to stumble in their faith but followers were advised to try to live for the glory of God.
So what does that mean? If you could name the top three challenges for your church, what would you name? But let’s make it a bit more personal. Are there ways that I can glorify God with my life or.. are there ways I can be a stumbling block to faith of others in my church today? In my friendship group today? Pick one of your weak points and pray that the Holy Spirit will help you recognize when you are on a roll and need to take yourself into timeout. How might you try to glorify God with your life today? May we not be a stumbling block to someone else’s faith and may we be able to encourage someone today. Amen!
On the Way to Wonder 