I HAVE THE RIGHT!

 

“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.”

I Corinthians 10:23-24

 

“I have the right to do anything...”

The Apostle Paul repeats that phrase twice.

It is a common refrain of man.

And usually it ends there.

But not with Paul!

He rightly tells us that our rights get their wings clipped by a few other considerations.

Here are three questions to ask ourselves -  

1. Is exercising my right beneficial?

2. Is exercising my rights constructive?

3. And finally, is exercising my rights seeking only what is good for me or does it consider the good of others.

We usually don’t want to have to weigh our rights against their impact to others.

Often, we simply say – “I don’t care, I’m doing it anyway!”

But Paul cautions us against this type of attitude.

He goes on later, in this same chapter, to say:

“Do not cause anyone to stumble...”

So we must ask ourselves this:

Do my attitudes, behaviors or actions take others into consideration and how they will be impacted by them?

Too often we plow ahead regardless.

But take the time today to sit with Holy Spirit and examine your life in light of those three questions.

Let Him reveal areas of opportunities for growth and maturing.