Author: mbaye

Scripture: Romans 14:5–6 Reflection The believers Paul addresses had different convictions about matters such as food and special days. Their practices looked different because their backgrounds, experiences, and sensitivities were different. Yet Paul points them toward a deeper unity: whatever they do, they are to do it in honor of the Lord. Our differences today […]

Scripture: Romans 14:4; Philippians 1:3–4 Reflection One of the greatest gifts we can give another person is prayer. Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote that the highest form of relationship we exercise with anyone else is when we pray for them. Prayer recognizes something important: we do not have the power to change people, but Jesus does. Sometimes […]

Scripture: Romans 14:7–8 Reflection Paul’s teaching does not mean that Christians should never speak into one another’s lives. Scripture calls us to encourage, sharpen, and help one another walk faithfully. But Romans 14 gives us an important way to do that: we help one another in Jesus and with Jesus. Every Christian relationship is meant […]

Scripture: Romans 14:4; Romans 5:1–2 Reflection Paul’s language about standing points us toward the heart of the Gospel: justification. We naturally want to be justified—not only before God, but before other people. We want others to understand why we are right, and we often want them to prove themselves right to us. Paul puts justification […]

Scripture: Romans 14:4 Reflection Paul asks a searching question: “Who are you to judge the servant of another?” We often feel responsible for fixing the people around us. When someone makes a choice we would not make, we may assume it is our job to correct them, control them, or make them see things our […]