Romans 14

[cricket]

Reflect for a moment on this statement: "Welcome with open arms fellow believers who don’t see things the way you do. And don’t jump all over them every time they do or say something you don’t agree with – even when it seems that they are strong on opinions but weak in the faith department. Remember, they have their own history to deal with. Treat them gently."

You know you've read it somewhere before. We all have.

So, what do you think it means? I, mean, really, "they have their own history to deal with?"

What history? Why do we have to "deal" with our histories? How are they going to be reflected in our posts?

When I was a child, my mother told me that everyone in the world sees things differently. "We are all unique," she said. So, I thought that meant that when I see blue, you might really see green. I thought that when I said "flower" you might have said, "paper-cut". But, it made sense to me, because when you said, "paper-cut", I heard, "flower." And when you said, "green", I interpreted that as "blue."

At any rate, it is true. Absolutely true. We each are unique. We each are different.

My past experiences lead me to jump to certain conclusions that seem ludicrous to others. Others' past experiences lead them to conclusions that seem crazy to me.

What is most interesting is that neither of our experiences are any less superior to the others. We are unique, but we are equal.

Read the rest of Romans 14. You might just discover that for some, their perspective is closer to God's than your's--you just might not be aware of it yet.

Rejoice, though! Why? Because God sees fit that each of our unique experiences will draw us closer to Him!

[Norman Byers, N.D.]

Hi Christine,

It is true we all have been hurt, disappointmented, angered and have had our hearts torn appart by accident and purposefully. We have lied to others, hurt others and have been selfish and wicked in mind and deed. Then we carry the pain and guilty consciences that shape the way we look at and interpret people, events and God.

I thank God though that He has made a way for us to have our consciences cleared and our minds renewed. We just have a hard time believing that and we tend to like to live in the old man paradyme (is that how you spell that?)

God has provided His Holy Spirit and has done a great thing for us. 1 Cor 2:15 "But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. 16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ."

and

Phil 2: 5 "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus"

That is the gift! I want my mind to be out and His mind in my temple. It's there for all who want it and in the mean time we can live by Romans 14.

Norman

[Stan]

This is a great thread, thank you both.