“Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.” Romans 14:2
Have you ever had the experience of walking down the isle at Kroger, filling your basket with various items, ice cream, wine, whatever. You run into someone you know, exchange pleasantries. But as you talk with them, you notice that they give your cart a once over. They are wondering what’s in your basket.
Perhaps you are oblivious to this because when you see someone at the store, you don’t think about what they do or do not have in their basket. However, have you ever run into an acquaintance while buying something you had hoped no one would see? Have you ever walked into a store, greeted an acquaintance, only to have them give a flustered response because of what is in their basket? All of us understand that what we put in our baskets can say something about ourselves.
Now, there are certainly some items that should create a measure of discomfort in an individual who has come to faith in Christ. The one who has professed faith in Christ should not be purchasing pornography for example. But this text is not talking about these kinds of items in one’s basket. This passage is talking about judging one another, not based on gospel principles, but on lifestyle preferences. This passage is about the attitude that someone has as they give your basket a once over and think, “I can’t believe they are wasting their money of that name brand cereal. I can’t believe they are buying wine. I can’t believe I walked by that expensive restaurant and saw them in there. I can’t believe they are raising their children that way.” This text is about basket items that are not sinful in and of themselves and yet, we have turned them into matters of spiritual significance. We have made them markers of maturity and immaturity.
Now, before you dismiss the rest of this column, let me say all of us do this. We are either condescending or condemning towards others based on what is in their basket. We either despise or judge. Paul calls all who have trusted in Christ to show charity or brotherly love for one another. We are called to show charity, especially to those with different preferences than our own. Charity is the love toward others that suffers long with them and is kind. Charity is the attitude of grace and generosity towards others in which we assume the best and give them the benefit of doubt.
This charity can only be expressed by those who know the Loving Master. See, all of us are in service to someone or something. All of us have a master. We are all servants. If you are wondering what your master is, simply ask what for what would you compromise your convictions for. For what would you shade the truth? For what would you go without sleep? For what would you go into debt? All of us have a master. Paul’s point is that if someone is a follower of Jesus, they have embrace the gospel message that, “God has fulfilled his promise to send a Savior to rescue broken people, restore creation’s glory, and rule over all [creation] with compassion and justice.” And if they have responded personally to that great story with faith, then they can have confidence that their master is a gracious one. See, the cosmic renewal of all things is, as Tim Keller notes, “the fruit of our individual, personal salvation.” In order to make this a reality the Master’s grace is demonstrated in the substitutionary atonement of Christ.
What the cross teaches us is that the one who could have judged our baskets was judged for our baskets. Paul is calling us to stop looking at one another’s baskets and bask in the love of the Master that led him to be despised and condemned for His people. His love towards His people fuels their love or charity towards one another. So, next time you are tempted to check out someone else’s basket…
Ed Dunnington is Senior Pastor at Christ the King which meets at North Cross School at 10:45 am Sunday mornings. For info go to www.ctkroanoke.org or call 540.725.5835.