Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread.

Today's reading titled, For Other's Sake, was written by Leslie Coe.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many Singaporeans stayed home to avoid being infected, but I blissfully continued

swimming, believing it was safe. My wife, however, feared that I might pick up an infection

at the public pool and pass it on to her aged mother, who, like other seniors, was more

vulnerable to the virus. Can you just avoid swimming for some time, for my

sake, she asked? At first, I wanted to argue that there was little risk. Then I realized that

this mattered less than her feelings. Why would I insist on swimming, hardly an essential thing,

when it made her worry unnecessarily.

In Romans 14, Paul addressed issues like whether believers in Christ should eat certain foods or

celebrate certain festivals. He was concerned that some people were imposing their views on others.

Paul reminded the church in Rome and us that believers in Jesus may view situations differently.

We also have diverse backgrounds that color our attitudes and practices. He wrote,

Let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any

stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. God's grace

gives us great freedom, even as it helps us express his love to fellow believers. We can use

that freedom to put the spiritual needs of others above our own convictions about rules and practices

that don't contradict the essential truths found in the gospel.

Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Romans chapter 14 verses 13 through 21.

Therefore, let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind

not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. I am convinced,

being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself.

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