Metaphor

Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. It is better not to eat milk or drink wine or do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall. So whatever you believe  about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves. But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin. (Romans 14:16-23)

          Today’s passage continues the discussion of consuming, but the truth is, most people today don’t have a problem with eating food sacrificed to so-called gods. There is another type of consumption that is causing trouble: music. Yes, the worship wars. In the interest of honesty, I come down closer to the traditionalists than I do to the modernists. Today, however; the issue is not the content of the culture wars as it is the conduct.

          Returning to the metaphor of eating, in the culture wars today, we aren’t claiming our right to eat according to our consciences, we are figuratively slamming people onto tables and shoving the food of our choice down their throats and we are taking food out of the hands of someone trying to eat and bludgeoning them.  The attitude on both sides stinks. Both sides are being hurtful. 

          I don’t think God is interested in who started it. He knows who started it, and it wasn’t the person you’re pointing at. I don’t think God is interested in any one-downmanship. Paraphrasing today’s passage, “Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of music. All music is clean (well, perhaps not all, but all the music about which we’re talking), but it is wrong for a person to play music that causes someone else to stumble.” (No, that does NOT mean they aren’t allowed to play music that you don’t like.) “It is better to have no music that will cause your brother or sister to fall into sin.” 

          The one who says, “we must have modern music to draw in those who aren’t here” is just as wrong as the person who says, “we must have no modern music, only hymns.”  Neither is loving the brother or sister. Neither is seeking peace or mutual edification. The one who walks away because he’s hurt or angry instead of forgiving is as wrong as the person who caused the hurt because neither is loving. 

         That’s likely to make people angry. “I’ve been hurt! What about my pain?” I understand. I’ve been there, and I am no longer attending a church in question (It was not over music.) Sometimes, walking away is necessary, but holding on to the hurt isn’t. I know, sometimes it takes time to work past the hurt, more time than even we realize, but I also know people who wave their hurt like a badge of courage or honor and when they do so, it is a badge of shame to them and the Church. 

          I’m not blaming one side or the other. Both share the blame. There are things that need to be discussed, and consideration should be made for the preferences of all. Again, I’m trying to stay away from the content. If you are attacking a brother or sister, or cutting yourself off from a brother or sister, or forcing your will on a brother or sister – God sees how you treat people He loves as much as He loves you.