Ouachita Stories

I have the privilege of connecting students with senior adults through ElderServe, an Elrod Center program at Ouachita. We often go to area nursing homes to sing hymns with the residents.

As these older people lift their voices in praise I observe different races, socio-economic and Christian traditions all singing together. At this stage of life most of these elders do not care about their differences and they accept one another. Through their life experiences they have learned what is really important. They are eagerly looking forward to heaven! In the same way, God calls each of us to focus on what is important in life and accept our fellow believers just as we have been fully accepted in Christ!

 

Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.

Romans 15:7

 

The early Christians comprised of Jews and Gentiles disagreed and struggled to fully accept one another. In Romans 13-15, one of the issues they were divided over was whether to eat food sacrificed to idols or purchased in the temple. In Romans 15:7 the "weak" are those who genuinely want to follow their interpretation of the law which restricted what they could eat. The "strong" are primarily Gentiles who feel free to eat the meat.

Paul urges the "strong" not to use their freedom to cause the "weak" to stumble and encourages them to avoid these foods. He exhorts them to work together, concluding with 15:7: "therefore accept one another just as the Messiah accepted you to the glory of God." When we focus on what is really important – worshipping God – our focus is less on the differences between our brothers and sisters in Christ and more on what we have in common. We learn acceptance. Perhaps we need to follow the example of our Christian elders and adopt a "heavenly" focus. As we do, we bring glory to God.

 

By Judy Duvall, Assistant Director of the Elrod Center for Family & Community