Strong and Weak Christians

As a vegetarian of almost 25 years, I am alarmed to discover I am a weak Christian!  The problem for Paul, had nothing to do with factory farms and cruelty to animals, though.  He presumably would have had no problem with the characters in the picture, who are ordinary secular butchers (as far as I can tell!)

Of course, Paul, in Romans 14, is referring to those who believe that any activity connected with pagan temples is prohibited to Christians.  Reading this chapter I note three things of interest.

1. Paul refers to strong and weak Christians.  These designations seem counter-intuitive.  Most of us experience Christians with high moral standards as powerful figures.  Certainly, the so-called liberal Christian is made to seem weak in comparison.  And yet for Paul, it is the weak who insist upon not eating meat offered to idols and observing certain days as special.  Those who are more relaxed about these things are designated strong!  Many of the modern divisions between Christians, are between fundamentalists and so-called liberals.  Fundamentalists (Protestant, Catholic or Orthodox) tend to be exclusive and separate themselves from any notion of a wider church.  Their criticisms of those who are more liberal tends to focus on morality.  Perhaps this passage has something to say to modern Christians?
2. Verse 3 is particularly interesting: Those who eat must not despise those who abstain and those who abstain must not pass judgement on those who eat; for God has welcomed them.  So, the strong liberal must not despise the weak fundamentalist and the weak must not condemn the strong to hellfire!  I must confess I find it difficult not to despise those who in my view have missed the point of the faith entirely.  And I'm quite certain many of those same Christians would see me as far too lax and in danger of hellfire.  But note, Paul's concern is for the unity of the community.  We are enjoined not to indulge our prejudices in these ways.
3. From verse 4, and the point is repeated throughout the chapter, we are reminded we are not to pass judgement on each other.

Whilst I fully accept that it is not necessarily the case that Paul's categories fit the modern churches in the ways I have suggested, I think this passage should nevertheless give us all pause for thought.  We are not a danger to each other because of our beliefs, about a faith we have in common.  It is our hatred, based on difference, that is poised to destroy us.