Tag Archives: way of righteousness

My grandson Trey is old enough to roll over but too young to sit up. His knowledge is too puny to know how to do that. His physical strength is too feeble to get in that position and hold it. His sense of balance is too weak to keep him steady and upright.

The rest of us in our household do not (generally) use our strength to take advantage of his weakness.

Rather, we who are strong use that strength for his benefit, blessing, and well-being.

In doing so, we often receive joy, delight, and blessing in return.

And that’s how God intends life and relationships to be!

Physical, intellectual, spiritual, emotional, financial, educational — all the strengths He gives us, He gives us to use to . . . . Well, just read what He says:

“We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves” (Romans 15:1).

“Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth” (Romans 14:22).

That part of the verse leaves me scratching my head.

Let me check two or three other versions to see if they help me out . . . .

Hmmm. After checking two other versions, I checked Strong’s and learned that alloweth isn’t talking about permissiveness (that is, having a careless, “anything goes” attitude).

Rather, it has the idea of proving — examining and testing things with discernment. Notice two other verses that use different English words for the same Greek word. (I’ll underline them.)

“Prove all things; hold fast that which is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21).

“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1).

Well, anyway. Here’s my rendition of the Romans 14 sentence:

“Blessed is he who does not judge and shame himself by that which approves.”

In other words, may you see as God sees — clearly and correctly.

“That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ” (Philippians 1:10).

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