Others

I Corinthians 10 says

I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive.  No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.

These verses were referring to the discussion going on among the people about whether or not to eat meat offered to idols.  Today, maybe it might be a discussion about whether or not to drink alcohol, or other controversial activities that people squabble about as fellow believers.

The crux of the matter is to seek the good of others. 

If you know a friend is offended by an action you feel you can do with a clear conscience, then defer to your friend when that friend is near.  It’s not worth causing that friend to stumble in her walk with God.

I once had a friend who could not listen to secular music, because she used to get high  on drugs when doing so.  So for her, it was offensive.  It would be very selfish and rude of me to start insisting and persisting and accusing her of being “religious” and demanding that she listen, anyway.  There’s no profit in that.

Don’t always seek to be right. Seek the good of others, to the best of your ability.  You can be right when you’re alone away from your friend…