what are you willing to do?

Tuesday February 3rd, 1 Corinthians 8: 11 Christ gave up his life for that person. Wouldn't you at least be willing to give up going to dinner for him--because, as you say, it doesn't really make any difference? But it does make a difference if you hurt your friend terribly, risking his eternal ruin! The unfortunate tendency throughout history is for individuals to turn their focus inward toward their individual rights and away from the needs of the community. The whole “government is not the solution, the government is the problem” focus of the last several decades is an example. It denies the fact that, in essence, we are the government and our abdication of that responsibility does not usher in some great society, but rather open the gates to the robber barons of the late 20th and early 21st century. Our children may not exactly thank us as they pay off the debt. In a Christian society there would be no need for taxes because every individual would gladly give, to the best of their ability, for the needs of the whole. We all know in real life it doesn’t work that way. In reality everyone tries to get by with contributing the least they can get away with for the needs of the whole while padding the needs of the one. In the midst of all the greed going around, personal, corporate, and governmental, we are called through scripture to set aside some of our desires for the sake of the whole. Christ gave his life. What are you willing to do?