The Magazine Spread
Each photo will be a full body shot, revealing exactly what the lady is wearing from her expensive diamond earrings to her designer high-heel shoes.
Reference: v.3 The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted that person. (TNIV Bible)
Explore: I’ve recently started receiving, through work, a celebrity magazine. It tells of all the goss that is happening amongst the rich and famous, and digs into the stories of those we see on the screen. In each edition there is usually a double page spread with photos of eight or so women attending the latest big function. Each photo will be a full body shot, revealing exactly what the lady is wearing from her expensive diamond earrings to her designer high-heel shoes. The reason there are eight photos all lined up is so you can compare them to each other. Conversation around this page goes something like this, “Oh, I love her shoes the best… I can’t believe she decided on that neckline… this would have to be my favourite outfit… her hair should be up not down…”
Application: It’s hard not to compare people when they are lined up side by side, and yet, making comparisons does not stop with outfits in a magazine. We constantly seem to be making judgments of other people – how our friends spend their money, how our colleagues spend their work time, how the school families raise their children, and even how other congregation members express their faith. Romans 14 reminds us that God accepts us all. While one person may feel convicted to live in one way, another person may live totally differently. As long as we are not causing others to stumble, then we need to leave the judgment up to God.
Prayer: Lord, I am so quick to judge other people. I feel that my decisions are right for me, so they must be right for others too. Forgive my arrogance and help me to accept others as you do. Amen.
Who have you judged unfairly?
This article was written by Linda Bailey
Linda started theological studies in 1999 in Australia. After working for ten years in various church ministries, she now works as the breakfast producer at 89.9 LightFM - the Christian radio station in Melbourne, Australia. She writes blogs every day about passages she is currently reading in the Bible. Follow her on Google Plus +Linda Bailey or Facebook by clicking the like button on the right of this page.