Four Biblical Guidelines That Magnify Grace
Accept Others
Guideline 1: Accepting others is basic to letting them be. The problem was not a meat problem; it was a love problem, an acceptance problem. It still is. How often we restrict our love by making it conditional: “If you will (or won’t), then I will accept you.” Paul starts there: “Accept one another!” In other words, “Let’s allow others the freedom to hold to convictions that are unlike our own . . . and accept them in spite of that difference.” Those who didn’t eat (called here “weak in faith”) were exhorted to accept and not judge those who ate. And those who ate were exhorted to accept and not regard with contempt those who did not eat. The secret lies in accepting one another. All of this is fairly easy to read so long as I stay on the issue of eating meat. That one is safe because it isn’t a current taboo. It’s easy to accept those folks today because they don’t exist!
How about those in our life who may disagree with us on issues that are taboos in evangelical Christian circles today? Here are a few:
• Going to the movies or live theater
• Wearing cosmetics
• Playing cards
• Watching television
• Going to the beach
• Not having a “quiet time” every morning or at least every day
• Going to a restaurant that sells liquor
• Wearing certain clothing
• Driving certain cars
• Wearing certain jewelry
• Listening to certain music
• Dancing . . . square, ballroom, disco—whatever
• Holding a certain job
• Wearing your hair a certain way (assuming you have hair)
• Having lovely and elegant possessions
• Getting a face-lift
• Drinking coffee
• Eating certain foods
• Working out in leotards
One of my favorite stories comes from a man who used to be in our church. He and his wife were close friends of our family, but they moved to another part of the country. When he was a youth worker many years ago in an ethnic community, he attended a church that had Scandinavian roots. Being a rather forward-looking and creative young man, he decided he would show the youth group a missionary film. We’re talking simple, safe, black-and-white religious-oriented movie. That film projector hadn’t been off an hour before a group of the leaders in the church called him in and asked him about what he had done. They asked, “Did you show the young people a film?” In all honesty he responded, “Well, yeah, I did.” “We don’t like that,” they replied. Without trying to be argumentative, the youth worker reasoned, “Well, I remember that at the last missionary conference, our church showed slides—” One of the church officers put his hand up, signaling him to cease talking. Then, in these words, he emphatically explained the conflict: “If it’s still, fine. If it moves, sin!” You can show slides, but when they start movin’, you’re gettin’ into sin. My friend crossed the invisible line and got his hand slapped. He and I still laugh about the incongruity of that logic, but he does not look down on those leaders for their different understanding. (Remember, our goal is acceptance, the basis of a grace state of mind.)
Refusing to Dictate to Others Allows the Lord Freedom to Direct their Lives.
Leslie Flynn writes about the time when evangelist Jack Van Impe was closing a citywide crusade in Green Bay, Wisconsin. It was to end on a Sunday afternoon. The very same public arena also featured wrestling on Sunday night. Interestingly, on Monday evening (the following day), Rex Humbard was scheduled to begin a new series of evangelistic meetings.
One wonders if the man who set up the sign didn’t have his tongue in his cheek when he arranged the letters on the marquee,
JACK VAN IMPE
WRESTLING
REX HUMBARD
Freeing Others Means We Never Assume A Position We’re Not Qualified to Fill.
This, in one sentence, is enough to stop any person from judging another. We’re not qualified. We lack full knowledge. How often we have jumped to wrong conclusions, made judgmental statements, only to find out later how off-base we were . . . then wished we could cut out our tongue.
What keeps us from being qualified to judge?
• We do not know all the facts.
• We are unable to read motives.
• We find it impossible to be totally objective.
• We lack “the big picture.”
• We live with blind spots.
• We are prejudiced and have blurred perspective.
• Most of all, we ourselves are imperfect and inconsistent.
In a Connecticut city, fifty-three residents of a certain neighborhood signed a petition to stop reckless driving on their streets. The police set a watch. A few nights later five violators were caught. All five had signed the petition.
Loving Others Requires Us To Express Our Liberty Wisely
In other words, love must rule. I’m not my own; I’m bought with a price. My goal is not to please me; it is to please my Lord Jesus, my God. It is not to please you; it is to please my Lord. The same is true for you. So the bottom line is this: I don’t adapt my life according to what you may say; I adapt my life according to the basis of my love for you because I answer to Christ. And so do you.
One of the marks of maturity is the ability to handle liberty without flaunting it. Mature folks don’t flaunt their privileges. They enjoy them fully, yet quietly . . . privately . . . with those of like mind, who aren’t offended by the liberty.