Good Words for Today: November 30

“For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin” (Romans 14:23). Here is a shocking truth: Some things are wrong for you that are right for others. And some things are right for you that are wrong for others. That statement means that you can’t always know in advance what will be “right” or “wrong” for another Christian brother. Sometimes your conscience will tell you, “Don’t do that. Don’t touch that. Don’t join that club. Don’t take that job. Don’t go to that movie. Don’t date that girl (or guy).” In those cases, the Bible says you should follow your conscience. In short, don’t do something you believe to be wrong even if others are doing it. I confess that in my rule-keeping days, I regarded this as a weak principle. But I now see that it is just the opposite. Only the strong can say “no” when everyone else is saying “yes.” It’s the weak who give in to pressure.

November 30, 2016