Seventh-Day Adventist Devotional For Children: “Should I Or Shouldn’t I”

DAILY BREAD- A DEVOTIONAL FOR CHILDREN

EASTERN NIGERIA UNION CONFERENCE CHILDREN’S MINISTRIES

Tuesday, May 23, 2023

TOPIC: Should I or shouldn’t I?

All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up.1 Corinthians 10:23.

Daily we encounter situations when we need to consider carefully what we should do: even to simple things such as clothes we wear, music we listen to etc. There are many things that are lawful which are not expedient; that is, considered in themselves, under due circumstances, they are lawful, but considered in such and such circumstances, are not so, because they are not for the profit or good, but the hurt and disadvantage, of others. If they edify not, that is, they tend not to promote the gospel, or the faith and holiness, then those things are not needful.
A Christian man is bound to shape his life so that no man shall be able to say of him that he was the occasion of that one’s fall. He is so bound because every man is his neighbour. He is so bound because he is bound to live to the glory of God, which can never be advanced by laying stumbling-blocks in the way for feeble feet. The duty of thinking of others, and of abstaining, for their sakes, from what one might do, is laid on all Christians.
Paul reminds us to honor God in all that we do: “So whether you eat, drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God and that we do not cause anyone to stumble (1 Corinthians 10:31-33). As believers, we have the privilege and responsibility of representing Jesus through the way we live. Keeping our consciences at the forefront, by not doing things we know are wrong, Paul also warns us not to go out of our way to offend.
Our lives point to Jesus. So it’s important that we ask ourselves daily, “Is what I have on display right now going to lead people to Jesus or is it going to turn them away?

THOUGHT FOR REFLECTION:
Is one area of your life that is not pointing people to Jesus? What do you need to stop doing or start doing to turn that area of your life over to Him? Whenever you are confronted with the decision, “Should I or shouldn’t I?” Consider these 5 principles:

1. Will it give you fellowship with God?
2. Will it glorify God?
3. Will it edify other people?
4. Will it be a distraction to other people and get in the way of them placing their faith in Jesus?
5. Will it help save other people? Song
   Guide me ,O Thou great Jehovah,
   pilgrim through this barren land;
   I am weak but Thou art mighty;
   Hold me with Thy powerful hand;
   Bread of heaven; Bread of heaven;
   Feed me till I want no more; me till I want no more. PRAYER
   Father, help me not to misuse my liberty and freedom in Christ but to use it to glorify you in all that I do in Jesus name amen