For The Good of the Many

DEVOTION

1 CORINTHIANS

FOR THE GOOD OF THE MANY

1 Cor 10:31-11:1

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 everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.

NIV

It is not that we hide in secret to experience the freedom in Christ, but that we do not cause anyone to stumble. Once again this is talking about what food and drink we eat or don’t eat, but the whole the truth here is about much more. It would appear we should be just as concerned about those who are not the church of God as we are those who are the church of God. Sometimes it seems that those who are not in the church know the rules and regulations which a believer is supposed to adhere to and call us on behaviors they think we should not be doing as a believer. We know they are watching us to see if we really do believe all that we say we do. We certainly cannot and would not go around carousing the bars or nightclubs, dancing up a storm, drinking, smoking and looking for someone to ….. But there sure are other behaviors that are being watched. Do we participate in the gossip around the water cooler, or lunch room table? Do we laugh at course jokes? Do we use any language that is inappropriate? Are we critical of anyone? Do we talk about our desire for more of anything? Do we talk about our discontentment about anything? Do we say we trust God but live as if we don’t? It is true they have a concept of how we should behave, but at the same time, if we act in such a stuffed shirt manner, do we come across as so high and mighty that we put then off? Does our holy behavior cause them to stumble and not want anything to do with God? It is a fine balance of being a believer, living out our faith out loud, and living in a manner which pleases God yet does not cause unbelievers to think us as judging them. They should feel we love them as Christ does so that they may be saved. How do we manage ourselves in the presence of those in the church compared to those outside the church? Are we any different? We should be who we are at all times, yet somehow, as Paul was, we should be all things to all people, in order to bring Glory to God. So maybe we should be a little different with those outside the church then those inside, but only to bring them inside. The only reason we should do anything is for the benefit of the Kingdom of God, and not for our own. We should live for the good of the many.