Romans 14:13 "So don't condemn each other anymore. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not put an obstacle in another Christian's path."
At first, the earliest Christians were predominately Jewish. They maintained many of their Jewish customs, festivals, traditions, and laws. As non-Jewish (gentile) people began to join the church, the leaders had to figure out how to navigate these two worlds. How would Jews and Gentiles coexist? How Jewish did the Gentiles need to be? What elements of Judaism needed to stay and what needed to go? In this letter to the Roman Christians, Paul instructs them to take a deep breath and not argue over the more trivial matters. They were not to judge each other too harshly or become an "obstacle" to each other as they tried to follow Jesus.
It is so easy to judge others and point out flaws in other peoples lives. It's particularly easy to do in church for some reason! Paul says I am not to be an obstacle. That's the bottom line here. I can have my opinions and my views and when the time is right I can help others follow Jesus more closely... but I cannot become an obstacle. I should not get in the way of anyone attempting to follow Christ. How have I been an obstacle lately? Have I turned someone away from Jesus or church because of my attitude or my opinions. Instead, I ought to do everything I can do to draw people to Jesus and his church. How can I do that today?
Dear Jesus, help me not be an obstacle to those you love. Help me draw more people to you. Amen.
