Romans 15:1-2 - We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.
The easiest thing to do when it comes to how we view ourselves and others is to think more of ourselves than we do them. When you put a bunch of people together in a community, you end up with all kinds of people with different personalities and different proclivities. Some may see some things as important and others may feel like we shouldn’t be concerned about those things very much at all.
In Christ, we even mature at different rates and over various periods of time. Because of this, there will be some that hold a strong view on a topic or teaching from scripture and others may not know why people feel so strongly about it at all. As you can tell, and possibly experienced, getting Christians to see each other with love and charity in these scenarios can be very tricky, but it’s certainly worth the effort.
Whether you are one of the strong or weak ones that Paul mentions in these verses, the principles remain the same. First, we are to bear with one another. It can be hard to put up with someone who just doesn’t seem to get it, but if we stick by them and help them, then that will be far more fruitful than if we just cast off those who grow too slowly in our eyes.
This leads to the second principle, and that is that our goal is not to please ourselves, but to please our fellow brother or sister in Christ. We think of others as more important than ourselves, seeking to help others rather than being pleased ourselves. Now, this can be extremely challenging, especially with someone who just doesn’t seem to get it like you do. But instead of doing what you do for your own good, you should do it for the good of others.
This leads to the third principle, which is that we please them for their good and to build them up. The mature don’t please the weak by doing whatever the weak person wants, but by helping them in ways that build them up and produce good. If the “strong” always looks down upon the “weak” then what good is that? We should understand that all of us are strong in some areas and weak in others, and this shows us how important these principles really are.
When you interact with other brothers and sisters you will have differences of opinion on all kinds of matters, and you will think at times that you must be the strong one in the scenario. Whether that’s true or not, it’s better that you walk in humility rather than pride, and it’s better to build others up for their good, than it is to focus on yourself at the expense of others.
Today, pray that God would reveal where you may be strong, and then take that strength and bless others with it. Also pray that he would show where you are weak, and then humbly listen and think about what more mature brothers and sisters in Christ might say about these things. We all have much to learn, and we cannot do it alone. Thank God for the charity and love that can exist with the church.
