“God for every man, and every man for himself,” said the elephant as he danced among the chickens. That’s easy for the elephant to say, but potentially painful for the chickens. Why shouldn’t we all just do what is best for us, without regard for others?
Paul wrote to a world steeped in idolatry. Even the meat purchased to eat had often been offered to idols. (It turns out the idols lost their appetite . . . always!) But what if you were a Christian? Could you in good conscience eat that meat? The Christians who had once been idolaters would struggle with this connection to their former way of life. Meanwhile Jewish Christians had always avoided idols, so it was less of a concern. They knew the statues weren’t real. Paul says, “We have to care about the impact of our actions on others.”
We live in a world steeped in idolatry, too. What if our celebration of our freedom harms a brother or sister? To be clear: Paul’s concern is not that eating meat will hurt a new Christian’s feelings. He is concerned that his freedom might cause former idolaters to recant their faith and go back to their way of life. One modern example is alcohol. Many believers have never had an issue with the moderate use of alcohol. But would it be kind to drink in front of an alcoholic friend who is struggling for sobriety? In the body of Christ, we must always care, really care about others.
