This week we continue looking at the questions I posed in my Reflection two weeks ago. This week we will ask if worrying about how other people live and manage their lives has brought you any joy?

What Is That To You? 
By Mike Rule

Many times Christians seem to be preoccupied with meddling in other people's lives. A lot of time is spent telling people how to live, how to dress, what to eat, what is acceptable, and what is not, etc. The list goes on and on of all the things people should and should not be doing. If people do not live according to OUR list, the person is labeled in sin, he or she is a backslider, or we may even go so far as to say they have either lost their salvation, or we question whether or not they ever were saved in the first place. The questions I must always ask are, is it really any of our business? Why are we meddling in the first place?

Christians are the craziest people of all if we really think about it. We spend so much time trying to prevent others from failing, struggling, and hurting. Yet it is our own failures, struggles and hurts that have moved us on towards maturity in the Lord! Why are we trying to prevent people from becoming mature? The bottom line most often... It's not because we care so much about them, it's because we can't handle it. It ends up being more about our comfort than our TRUE concern for others.

In Romans 14, Paul uses the dietary restrictions of the Jewish law as an example. (see Verses for Reflection below) Notice that Paul is not talking to those who are following the law, but rather to those who are discovering freedom from the law. He is admonishing them to not let their freedom cause another to stumble. In the same way, when we hold lists of rules out to others, we can actually do more to cause others to stumble than we do to help them to move on in the Lord. In other words, we can easily create what we hate by the ways we relate. If our list of do's and don't for Christianity is freedom, and we demand that others live to the same freedom we do, we can easily cause them to stumble and create division and strife in the Body of Christ. Likewise, if we believe there are requirements to the Christian life, things we must do to follow Jesus, and we demand others follow our list, we can easily cause another to stumble. How you may ask? Most people tend to become frustrated and some even get annoyed when they feel they are constantly being judged. This judgment brings division in relationships. Jesus said that it was our love that people would see and it would be the trademark of His children. He also prayed that we would be one with each other as He is one with the Father. I think the question we each need to ask ourselves is, "Is the way I am relating bringing unity, understanding, and love, or is it causing more conflict, more division, more strife?

In the ministry of LCMI, I find myself in a unique position. Many who tend to follow the letter of the written word judge that I am preaching license. Many others who tend towards grace and freedom judge that I am preaching law. Who do I believe? I'm fairly non-offendable (at least with most people, Becky being the exception) so I do not take these judgments personally. However, it is very difficult to communicate with someone who is trying to convince you of just how wrong you are. But when I am being judged in one way or another, I am left with a question that I rarely get to pose: "What is that to you???" (John 21:20-23) We each have to work out our own salvation (Phil. 2:12). Why can't we accept and love others while allowing them the freedom to make mistakes? Perhaps it is because we do not believe that God uses ALL things for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).

The only times I can judge and still have peace and joy is when the Lord is the one judging through me. Otherwise I can easily end up with inner turmoil. When I judge, I un-knowingly surrender the peace and joy of God. When God judges through us, it is not always an easy experience, but there is ultimately no loss of our peace and joy. I think this is just one of the reasons why Jesus said that we should not judge (Matthew 7:1-6). We rise and fall to our own master. And praise God that HE is able to make us stand! But remember that HE is able to make others stand too. If we must ere, let it be on the side of acceptance and love. After all, it is HIS kindness that leads us to repentance, not His judgment (Romans 2:4).

Verses for Reflection

And receive him who is weak in the faith, but not to judgments of your thoughts. For indeed one believes to eat all things; but being weak, another eats vegetables. Do not let him who eats despise him who does not eat; and do not let him who does not eat judge him who eats, for God has received him. Who are you that judges another's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. But he will stand, for God is able to make him stand.

One indeed esteems a day above another day; and another esteems every day alike. Let each one be fully assured in his own mind. He who regards the day regards it to the Lord; and he not regarding the day, does not regard it to the Lord. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, does not eat to the Lord, and gives God thanks. For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. For both if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore both if we live, and if we die, we are the Lord's. For this Christ both died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and living.

But why do you judge your brother? Or also why do you despise your brother? For all shall stand before the judgment seat of Christ. 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 one of us will give account concerning himself to God. Then let us not judge one another any more, but rather judge this, not to put a stumbling-block or an offense toward his brother. I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing by itself is common; except to him who esteems anything to be common, it is common. But if your brother is grieved with your food, you no longer walk according to love. Do not with your food destroy him for whom Christ died. Then do not let your good be spoken evil of, for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. For he who serves Christ in these things is well-pleasing to God, and approved by men.

So then let us pursue the things of peace, and the things for building up one another. Do not undo the work of God for food. Truly, all things indeed are clean, but it is bad to the man eating because of a stumbling-block. It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor anything by which your brother stumbles, or is offended, or is made weak. Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Blessed is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. But, the one doubting, if he eats, he has been condemned, because it is not of faith; and all that is not of faith is sin. (Romans 14:1-23 MKJV)