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Mmmm… Bacon!
Some of you may know that I lived in North Africa for a little over a year. Since the country I was in was a Muslim country, there are many things that are forbidden: alcohol, cigarettes, BACON, etc. As you can tell from the title, I like bacon and could eat it on about anything. So, living in a country where it is not allowed (in fact, it is illegal) was a tough thing for me to swallow. I would like to say that I did what every good Christian would do and went the whole year and some odd months without eating bacon, really suffering for the Lord, but that would not be true. Stop me in the church sometime and I will tell you how I once smuggled bacon in from Spain in my backpack. Most missionaries are concerned with smuggling Bibles into their countries; not me! Bacon, that’s what I was willing to go to jail for.
The point is, I had bacon in my fridge and every time that one of my local friends came over for breakfast I could have chosen to eat it, because I am free from the law. However, because it would have been an offense to my Muslim friends, I chose not to, because “nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.” I chose to honor my friends, and therefore God, above myself. I believe that this verse does not just pertain to the decisions we make with food, but can be applied to other areas of our lives. I can think of several things in my life that if I was honest, I would say, “Sure this is okay, but is it pleasing to God and others?”
David Guzik’s Study Guide for 1 Cor. 10 says it very clearly, “Just because something is fine for me does not mean I should do it. My own “rights” or what I know to be permitted for myself are not the standards by which I judge my behavior. I must consider what is the loving thing to do towards my brothers and sisters in Jesus.”
It seems that this idea of not just getting rid of the bad, but getting rid of the luke warm is all a process of brining us closer to holiness. The things that are permissible may be considered “okay”, but are the keeping us from something so much more? I am really going to ponder this idea.
Respectively, I once used this verse to justify so very bad habits. Thinking inversely that if God didn’t directly say that what i was doing is wrong, then it must be okay. Essentially I was creating my own “good”.
I am glad you didn’t serve your Muslim friends bacon. It does make me think about what I have in my home or life that would offend my neighbors. Herb you made me think too about “creating” my own list of what is ok because it is a gray area not directly talked about in scripture.
We have heard from John Jr. and he sent the following prayer requests: Things have gone very smoothly with very few hiccups. I am grateful and hope that you will continue to pray for me. Having been here for a short time now I am able to give more specifics on what I need prayer in.
1) Communicating ideas and teaching – These are not my gifts. It has been my prayer that God will help me to do this.
2) Safety – While I have not felt unsafe here. Yesterday we drove passed a large group of people on the road and they said that somebody had been murdered and dropped there the night before.
3) Wisdom – In all that I do.
Once again thank-you for your prayers and may God bless you and keep
you until I see you again.
Thank you for praying for my son
As I read this, I was reminded that much of my focus in life is on me. As Jesus lead his focus was always on others, not himself. Thankfully, Jesus will live through me, and each of us, to change our focus. Lord, I pray that we would surrender to you today that your eyes may be our eyes…that you would control our focus.
Penny, please let John Jr. know we are praying for him.
Off to breakfast…sans bacon, unfortunately.