Daily Devotional for May 14, 2022
A Special Diet
“Mom, how come Christians have such different ideas about right and wrong?” asked Avery one day. “You and Dad won’t let us watch some movies that Stella’s parents think are okay. And Naomi says her family avoids doing certain things on Sunday that we do almost every Sunday. Why can’t Christians agree on what’s right and what’s wrong?”
“There isn’t a simple answer to that, but…” Mom hesitated. “We’re having Uncle Paul and Aunt Sue over for dinner tonight, right? And we’ll all eat quite differently. Aunt Sue has diabetes and avoids starchy foods. Uncle Paul is on a diet to lower his cholesterol.”
“And Daddy wants to lose weight.” Avery giggled. “I guess he’ll eat a big salad and not too much of the other stuff.”
Avery’s brother Cole spoke up. “Yeah, but what does that have to do with it?”
“Well, people have different physical conditions, so they have different dietary needs,” said Mom. “And because Christians have different backgrounds and levels of maturity, they have different spiritual needs.”
“You mean, what’s right for one person may not be right for another?” Cole asked.
“Possibly,” said Mom. “God may convict one believer about a certain activity because it would cause him—or those around him—to stumble in the Christian walk. Or someone may have a tender conscience about something because she had a bad experience related to it, or because of the way she was brought up. Then it would be wrong for her to take part in that activity, though it might not be harmful for someone else.”
“So, each person can decide what they can and can’t do?” Avery asked.
“Well, many things are spelled out so clearly in the Bible that there’s no room to argue about them. As to things not specifically mentioned, we need to depend on the Holy Spirit to show us the best choice for us. We also need to be understanding of Christians who have different convictions than we do. They’re our brothers and sisters in Christ who are loved and accepted by God just like we are—even though none of us is perfect.”
“Okay.” Avery grinned. “One thing I know the Bible is clear about is for kids to obey their parents. So for now, I’ll just ask you what I can do.”
-Sherry L. Kuyt
How about you?
Do you trust God to help you decide what things you should or should not do? Many issues are not specifically spelled out in the Bible, so don’t be critical of the way others handle them. On the other hand, don’t do something you have doubts about, even if other Christians are doing it. Be willing to accept your parents’ guidance as you form your own convictions.
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