The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English
Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated
in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved…defines superstition thus:
su·per·sti·tion
(spr-stshn) n.
1. An irrational belief that an object, action, or
circumstance not logically related to a course of events influences its
outcome.
a. A belief, practice, or rite
irrationally maintained by ignorance of the laws of nature or by faith in magic
or chance.
b. A fearful or abject state of
mind resulting from such ignorance or irrationality.
c. Idolatry.
It’s no wonder Paul wrote to the Corinthians – they were
very superstitious… well, at least some of them were. It’s helpful to remember they had never heard anything
like what Paul had taught them. As a result they had to mentally overcome a lot
of stuff they’d grown up with and just accepted as the real thing: like food
being offered to idols as one of those things.
We grow up believing some things that are actually irrational
but they sound so good or believable that we simply accept them and act as if
they were true; like the evening news or what some politicians say. We’ve all
heard that the number 13 is unlucky (or is it lucky, I can never remember and
therefore I avoid it because I can’t remember.) I grew up believing that a
rabbit’s foot was a good luck charm. I used to avoid cracks because they kept
breaking my momma’s back if I stepped on one.
To tell someone in the Corinthian culture in those days
that there was no such thing as a god (or gods) was simply ludicrous. And to
eat meat that was sacrificed to such a god was like actually taking food from
that god – everyone knew that. But Paul came along and shared that there was
only ever one True God and He was all you had to pay attention to. And He wasn’t
interested in our food. Dude! That’s some
strange stuff man – what’r we gonna tell all the other gods, like, that they’re
out of a job? Then what’r they gonna do!? Besides, the best steaks in town are
at that temple over there, and they’re the best because they make the gods (and
the owners of the temple) happy.
Paul said some folks actually believe that stuff. And
there was enough “power” in that superstition to make otherwise rational folks
do irrational stuff as a result of their belief in such stuff. And while Paul
would teach there really is a God, and He really isn’t concerned with what we
eat or don’t eat, He loves people enough to care they are all caught up in
superstition. And though He knows we can be set free from that crap, He knows it’s
harder for some than for others and for the ones who struggle we have to love
them through their struggle and keep explaining to them over and over what they
think is really not true and holds no power over them except what they keep
giving to it; and really what they need is just someone to love them – over and
over and over until they get it that there is only One True God and He loves
them and died to save them from such crap.
And those who know this need to really love those who don’t
know and be careful how they behave lest the ones who don’t know keep believing
there’s something to the crap they believe. And this all over a piece of meat.
I don’t want to be guilty of losing out on love over what I believe about a
piece of meat. Would you? I don’t want to trade all of what God has for me and
someone else over where I choose to have my steaks…
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