The Good of Many

WEDNESDAY 3.12.08 – 1 CORINTHIANS 10:31–11:1
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God—even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved. Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.

The very beginning of this verse makes me pause and ponder. "Whether you eat or drink..." Well, I've been doing absolutely no eating for the last thirty-six days and a whole lot of drinking. Milkshakes that is, and juice, and coffee, and water. Lot's of drinking. And while I know that Paul is writing this verse about foods and drinks that were ceremonially unclean to the Jews, it does make me wonder whether or not my drinking is "all for the glory of God."

I mean, there is certainly a part of the whole thing that is for the glory of God, or at least in obedience to God. Fasting isn't something I simply made up, for thousands upon thousands of years it has been a spiritual practice that allows Your people to hear Your voice. It's all over the Scriptures, including Jesus. But as to whether this fast is all for Your glory, well, I know that it is for other things as well in my head. Weight loss, development of proper eating habits, health, receiving joy...not that any of those are particularly bad things but not necessarily do they bring You glory.

What does it mean to give You glory even? I think maybe this is further explained by Paul within this verse. Sometimes it is very hard to put action or even further ideas to some of these Christian phrases that we hear so often. "Give God the glory" is one of those phrases, "exalt the Lord high above" is another, and the list probably goes on. I mean, I can tell what these phrases kind of mean, to give God the credit when things are going well and to declare that God is better than anything else, but it seems like those definitions fall woefully short of what we really are trying to say.

Giving the glory to You I think is maybe further defined here by Paul, when he says that he is not seeking his own good but the good of many. There always seems that there is a battle between my selfishness and pride and Your will. I will undertake something for You and turn it into something about me. This fast is a great example. People always ask about how much weight I've lost, maybe because they don't know what else to ask about a fast. Why can't I use that occasion to talk about the spiritual depth that You are developing in me during the fast, to explain neat it is that something I undertake completely for You also has health benefit? How You are an amazing God and that is being proven to me time and time again? Why can't I say something that is good for them and not just good for me?

My thoughts naturally run to what is the best scenario for me. All the time. Let me follow Paul's example, let me follow Christ's example. Let me seek the good of many. This means I will need Your wisdom and Your eyes throughout the day, and a change of mindset. Only You can transform me. Give me the undeterred will to change, give me a fresh heart, and allow me to remember the transformative works You have done before in my life. I am prepared for another journey, one where painful selfishness is pointed out. Let Your Spirit come work in me.