Let all You Do Be Done in Wisdom and Love

So then, we must pursue what promotes peace and what builds up one another. Do not tear down God's work because of food. Everything is clean, but it is wrong for a man to cause stumbling by what he eats. It is a noble thing not to eat meat, or drink wine, or do anything that makes your brother stumble. Do you have a conviction? Keep it to yourself before God. The man who does not condemn himself by what he approves is blessed. But whoever doubts stands condemned if he eats because his eating is not from a conviction, and everything that is not from a conviction is sin. Romans 14:19-23

The key is not my conviction but pursuing peace. Eating too many cookies can affect you if you are sedentary, that is desk bound, but if you do manual labour you may be fine. Judging others because they don't eat as you do is petty and foolish.

Note, we are told: ' do you have a conviction- keep it to yourself.' Now, we don't like to do that, we love to spruke and draw attention to how 'good' we are because we abstain from certain things. Yet, Paul is here telling us, mind your own business.

Yes moderation is good, but your moderation in eating one thing might just be someone else's dietary need. We do not have all understanding and we have a God who does. Meddling in God's department can cause us pain, as we interfere in His power and authority. Not a good place to be.

So, the message is: lighten up! This does not mean you can be a glutton yourself. You must walk before your God with intelligence. Don't kill yourself early by being lazy in self-control or by being self-indulgent. There are people who may want to know you longer. Your God might have wanted you to walk a certain path, but if you are unwell because of neglect, you cannot go. Who needs you to be wise? Walk in love! Amen!