Things to Pursue

Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense. It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak. Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.  – Romans 14.19-23

So far the teaching has been pretty negative. So far it has basically been a list of vital 'don't's.

But here Paul changes tone slightly - 'let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things that edify each other.'

I really like this. I like it because it speaks of an attitude.

There is never any indication anywhere here that we are ever to compromise the truth. There is never any idea that we should cooperate with error. However, we also ought be out looking for a fight.

Instead we ought to be out looking for a way to make peace. We ought to be looking for chances to edify and build each other up.

Can you imagine what the church would be like if we were all looking for ways to make peace and we were all seeking chances to build each other up? Instead there are times when we treat each other worse than we treat those outside the body.

Maybe we should all set a goal for today to chase after a chance to bring peace and pursue a chance to edify another believer. Who knows what God might accomplish through us.