FOOD! I might love it a bit too much! A good steak, some scallops, Pistachio Orange Halibut, (Yes, it’s a thing!)…sometimes I even enjoy a good salad and a cocktail. I especially like to try traditional dishes in other parts of the world or native foods of Alaska. It freaks my husband out! That’s not why I do it, it’s just a fun by-product.

‍

Last year we went to Ecuador. I had been eyeing their famous traditional dish, cuy (koo-ee), for some time. In the northern parts of Ecuador cuy is deep fried whole-head, paws and claws attached! In the southern parts of the country, it is also cooked whole, but on a spit, sort of barbeque style. I guess all southerners like their BBQ! Oh, by the way, cuy is guinea pig!

‍

We’d been in the country for a couple of weeks before I got to sit down with my amazing family for a traditional feast. For me, the anticipation had been building, everyone else ordered something different. I can’t say I was shocked, I was even feeling a bit nervous about dining on a rodent that I’d once had as a childhood pet! My fears only mounted when my plate with claws and bared teeth was set in front of me, but it was short lived. I eagerly tasted this new traditional dish.

‍

Then, I looked at my husband, eyes locked on my plate, a kind of horror in his face. Of course, the head of my dinner was toward him, and I’m sure not a detail of this unique delicacy was lost. He turned away, his back to me, and there he stayed for the remainder of the meal, barely eating.

‍

I wished I hadn’t ordered it. He didn’t complain, but I’d ruined his dinner. Of course, I hadn’t meant to, but none the less, there we were eating together, separately. I’d had an inkling this was going to gross him out, but my desires had trumped his feelings, and I ordered it anyway.

‍

In our verse today, a bit of the same thing was going on, only on a much more spiritual level. Jews that had converted to Christianity but were still used to the strict dietary code of the law are grappling with their new freedom in Christ. While eating with their new Gentile brothers and sisters, disagreements arose about what was clean and therefore okay to eat, and what was unclean and not okay to eat. No doubt, the Jews were highly offended by what the Gentiles were fine with dining on!

‍

While maybe some of the old Jewish thinking wasn’t totally correct here, the Gentile believers weren’t responding with love or understanding. They weren’t being considerate of the thoughts or feelings of their new brothers and sisters that were just trying to honor God in a way they felt convicted of. The Jews were already stretching themselves by just sitting at the same table with the Gentiles and now they were being forced to stare at guinea pig on a stick, so to speak!

‍

The Gentiles meanwhile, having had little to no dietary restrictions in their lives, were scoffing at the idea of clean and unclean things to eat. Abstaining from perfectly good food was a waste in their eyes; the Jews were just being silly! (Cuy is a totally acceptable meal!)

‍

Maybe they’re both right?

‍

If I go out to dinner with a friend who’s struggling with alcohol addiction, can I have a cocktail or a beer? Well, yes, but is it loving?

‍

When we become believers, we gain a whole community of brothers and sisters! They come from many different parts of the world, different families, traditions, thoughts, feelings, opinions, cultures, etc. As a result, we are all shaped differently and worship differently. And it’s beautiful! I’m told in Chinese house churches, worshippers spend a lot of time in silence, on their faces, talking to the Lord, while our family in Africa dance and sing loudly for much of their gatherings together. Can you imagine these two people groups coming together and telling the other they’re doing it wrong?  

‍

The question isn’t who’s offending who, but rather - Who is offending God by being unloving?

‍

While, yes, there are absolutes in our faith and ways we are called to live and not to live, there is a ton of freedom in our faith, as well, and it truly is beautiful! The Spirit may guide and convict someone in a way he’s not leading you, and that’s okay. Will you choose to love and fellowship with others that worship differently than you? Will you live in unity? Or will you choose to walk away until you find others exactly like you? I have news, it won’t happen, and how boring if it did!

‍

I ask you to seek unity and build up the body of Christ. Walk with your family in love as far as it depends on you. Try to understand differences, seek God’s face together and wrestle, discuss, sharpen, but seek to please God in how we treat one another, enjoying the freedom his sacrifice gives.

‍

Did I mention our next family trip is to Scotland? Maybe I’ll try the haggis! (On a solo lunch while my husband is napping, of course. 😊)

Elohim, thank you for the unity you bring to us when you enter our hearts and minds! Help us to walk and live in that unity, loving and caring for one another, putting each other before ourselves. Allow us to see others through your eyes, with your insight into their needs, and give us a desire to meet the needs of others. As you are one in the Trinity, let us be one with you and those around us, Amen.