Faith and Friction

Today's readings: Psalms 5, 145; 2 Kings 21:1-18; 1 Corinthians 10:14-11:1; Matthew8:28-34

Early followers of Christ lived in a culture where almost every corner had a temple or idol to one deity or another. This created complicated social situations where they had to balance being a loving neighbor (or business partner or customer) against upholding  their principles.   In today's reading from Corinthians, Paul writes about eating meat sacrificed to idols or demons – which would have been forbidden under Jewish law. Instead of declaring such actions sinful or not, he wrote: "'All things are lawful,' but not all things are beneficial. 'All things are lawful,' but not all things build up" (1 Cor 10:23). He advised them their actions should be chosen to strengthen their convictions, and to provide strong witness to people around them.

We face similar challenges. Every day we are called to follow our principles even when they run contrary to social pressures, politics, employers, friends, family, foreign cultures, and fellow people of faith. In some situations, particularly matters of personal ethics, we may simultaneously be judged by some people as too pious, while others see us as terrible sinners. If we remain loving, it don't matter. Christ didn't worry about being called a glutton or a drunkard, and John the Baptist was just fine being a holy freak (Matt 11:18-19). Isn't it liberating to know our allegiance is never to public opinion, but to God, "for why is [our] freedom being judged by another’s conscience?" (v 29).

We are not a people bound by laws and technicalities of action and thought (no matter how much some people might cling to that model). We are a people freed by love and meant to love freely. Our faith is in constant friction with the world. It is up to us to decide whether that friction is a source of irritation, or a source of warmth like two hands rubbing together as if in prayer.

Evening readings: Psalms 82, 29