As we approached the ancient marble bust, my tour guide nodded to the head and instructed me to do the same. After I nodded he said, “you have now prayed to Shiva, would you like to pray some more?” I said “no thank you,” out loud, and silently shot up my own prayer—“Lord, I really didn’t mean to pray to Shiva.”

When I told my friend, “Hey, I really didn’t mean to pray to Shiva,” he replied in his understated way, “Well, it sure looked like you were praying to Shiva.” Lord forgive me, led astray by a kind little tour guide.

This incident of alleged idol worship occurred several years ago in Calcutta, India, a city with shrines and representations of deities on every corner. Paul wrote to the Corinthian church about similar issues they faced as they navigated a society filled with gods.

Paul addressed the question of eating food formerly offered to idols. Not surprisingly, the gods never ate any of their presents, so before going bad, the pagans sold these delicacies at a good price. Many Christians, hankering for a choice cut of meat, enjoyed the bargains. But some of their fellow church members struggled with the practice.

Which brings me to Paul’s argument. Pauls said they could eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience. But he also said that while I have the right to do anything, not everything is constructive. No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.

Seeking the good of others trumps a great sale on beef. I’m to consider the good of others in my decision-making, my consumption of goods, and my life-style. Yes, I have a right to most anything as a follower of Jesus (it’s really quite freeing), but I must couple my rights with my obligation to fellow believers.

Paul preached an other-centered life. Paul subjugated his rightful desires in order to build up the faith of others—for I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.

I’m to consider the same thought. How do my actions benefit, or harm, my fellow believers? Sometimes hard to remember, and certainly to practice, but I must think about more than just myself.

I Corinthians 10 in week thirty-six of reading the Bible cover to cover

Photo by PK