Daily Dose of Hope

March 24, 2026

Scripture: Romans 14

Prayer: Abba Father, You are the potter, we are the clay, and the work of Your hands. Mold us and fashion us into the image of Jesus, your Son. Father, may we be one in You as He is in You, and You are in Him. Glory and praise to you, forever and ever. Amen.

Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope daily Bible reading plan. We have been walking through Paul's letters, chronologically, and we are currently towards the end of Romans.

Today's reading is Romans 14. It is unclear exactly who Paul is speaking of in this chapter. Who were the "weak" and "strong" Christians in Rome? It's possible that the weak Christians were Jewish believers who still felt strongly about dietary restrictions connected to faith but that has not been verified. What is clear is that Paul doesn't judge either group but merely comes down on the side of unity.

The Christian church is one that includes all kinds of people, from all walks of life, from countless cultural traditions, with all kinds of personalities and dispositions. We are brothers and sisters and we are all part of God's family. But just like other normal human families, these differences can lead to conflict and disagreement. Paul's writing in this chapter demonstrates that these disagreements, over what we might describe as seemingly minor stuff, have been around since the beginning of the church. Paul is saying to accept one another and try to no judge one another for those differences of opinion.

An example: Many of you remember our mission trips to the Dominican Republic. The church in the DR has very different ideas about what's acceptable and not acceptable for Christians than we do in the United States. In many of their churches, women sit on one side and men on the other. Alcohol is forbidden, as is dancing outside of church. I have some pretty strong opinions about all of these things. But Paul is saying not to get too caught up in these disagreements. Accept your brother or sister with the different view and don't fall into judgment. What's most important is what unites us.

Blessings,

Pastor Vicki