For it is God’s will that by doing right you should silence the ignorance of the foolish. As servants of God, live as free people, yet do not use your freedom as a pretext for evil. (1 Peter 2:15-16 NRSV)
Just because we are free does not mean that we are free to do anything we want if it will harm others or ourselves. We belong to God. We are to care for all of his creation. We are to do what is right so that others may not use our actions to justify their own harmful actions or lifestyles.
Over twenty years ago, I decided to quit drinking. It did me no good. My drinking also did not do anyone around me any good. The day I decided to quit was the day that I heard a loved one, who drank daily beginning at noon, say: "Nothing wrong with a few drinks. Even Judy drinks." That floored me. I rarely drank. I do not believe that it is a sin to have an occasional drink or two. But, here was someone, that I loved, who used the few drinks that I did have every now and then as justification for them to live every day of their life inebriated. Bogus, for sure. But, I wasn't going to be someone else's excuse for destroying their lives. I quit. They, sadly, did not.
St. Paul wrote in his first letter to the Corinthians:
“All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are beneficial. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything. (1 Cor 6:12)
and
“All things are lawful,” but not all things are beneficial. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. Do not seek your own advantage, but that of the other. (1 Cor 10:23-24)
If what you do, even though it is lawful, will harm others and you are aware that it will hurt others then, please, just stop. We are free. We are free to seek not only those things that will be to our own advantage; but, free to seek the advantage for others, as well. We are not to use that freedom as a pretext for evil; as a pretext to harm others or ourselves.
God's Peace - Pr. J
