"13 Let us not therefore judge one another anymore: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.” (Romans 14:13)
This passage is in the middle of Paul’s explanation to the Romans about how we should watch what we eat or drink. He was explaining that it isn’t what we eat or drink, but it’s the perception of others that witness what we eat or drink. If a person back in Biblical times saw a person buying meat that was from an animal that was sacrificed to false gods, that may make the person think it’s not only appropriate to eat meat sacrificed to false gods, but that worship of these false gods is okay too. Obviously, it is not okay. The meat itself is not the problem; it is the perception of the individual.
Today, a parallel would be drinking wine or other alcohol. It is not wrong to drink wine, but it is wrong to get drunk. If a fellow Christian sees you drinking wine with your meal, it may prompt them to do the same. The problem is that even if you have never drank wine to the point of drunkenness, the person observing you and emulating you may lose control and drink until they are drunk. It’s not directly your fault, but God considers your actions as putting a stumbling block in your brother’s path. You contributed to their downfall, even though they made the ultimate choice to sin. It is better to not drink alcohol at all, rather than lead others astray.
We must not place stumbling blocks in front of people. We should try to project a life that is in accordance with scripture and pleasing to God, a life that is a good example to others.
By: David Lee Brown