Have you ever been in a Chinese restaurant and noticed a statue of Buddha or a little station with small food offerings? Does it bother you to eat in a place where idols are displayed and worshipped?

 

It’s good if the question comes to mind because it is evidence that you are evaluating the world around you in the context of your beliefs. But where will you find knowledge to resolve your questions? You could ask your friends. In this era of social media, we can quickly access the opinions of even strangers who are quick to share how they think any of a very wide array of matters should be handled. There’s no shortage of opinions.

 

But opinions aren’t knowledge. And even if we think we have gained knowledge through study of a matter, how does that knowledge help us? How will we apply it?

 

Paul writes, “We know that “We all possess knowledge.” But knowledge puffs up while love builds up. Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know. But whoever loves God is known by God.” 1 Corinthians 8:1-3

 

Knowledge puffs up but love builds up. We can know, or think we know, all the answers but knowledge alone isn’t enough. Knowledge puffs us up but doesn’t tell us how to build our lives. Love builds up our lives. Our love is what makes us known by God. It reminds me of an old song, “They’ll know we are Christians by our love.” Not by words alone. Not by persuasive teaching. But by our love.

 

In the case of food offered to idols, Paul says: “An idol is nothing at all in the world.” (v4) We could invent and serve many “gods” that take up a prominent place in our lives, not unlike the little statues in the restaurant. We might not literally bow to them but might submit to them the “food” of our attention, money, passion, and time. They could take the form of our work or entertainment or any great ambition that consumes us. “…there are many “gods” and many “lords”), yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.” (V 6)

 

True knowledge brings freedom. It doesn’t matter what we eat, even if it is food offered to idols. “…food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.” ( v 8) But with freedom comes responsibility; in this case, the responsibility to exercise love. If our knowledge presents a stumbling block to others, we should defer – in love – to their understanding. We don’t take someone who is fearful of eating “defiled” foods to a Chinese restaurant where idols are present because it becomes a stumbling block to them. More important than asserting our knowledge is honoring loving relationships with those who see things differently.

 

People may invite us to share our opinions and knowledge. We may even be tempted to respond without invitation to everything that confronts our own understanding of the matter. But first, let’s pause a moment to reflect. It’s not that knowledge is a bad thing. It just isn’t the best thing. It’s not what we need most. What we need most is to demonstrate a love that bears the responsibility of building up positive and mutually valued relationships on our lives. . . relationships that will be known by God.