1 Corinthians 10:23–24 — “All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.
You finally have an evening with nothing scheduled. Then you remember the person who mentioned how lonely the house has felt since their spouse died. You could give them a call or you could even ask them over. But you were looking forward to having the evening to yourself. And there’s nothing wrong with keeping that evening free. Rest matters, and nobody can respond to every need. Yet Paul invites us to consider a question we might otherwise never ask: What good could this time do for someone else?
The Corinthians were accustomed to asking what their freedom permitted. Paul wanted them to consider what their freedom could accomplish. Throughout these chapters, he’s forbidden participation in idolatry while explaining that ordinary food isn’t spiritually contaminated by its association with an idol. Now he gives them a principle for choices where they genuinely have freedom: seek what helps another person. And his phrase “build up” gives that help a direction. Will someone be strengthened by what I choose? Will this make it easier for them to trust Jesus, carry a responsibility, or face tomorrow? Paul isn’t telling us to spend our lives satisfying everyone’s demands, but he is challenging the assumption that our own advantage should always decide how we use what we have.
This perspective can radically change how we look at our ordinary days. A retired mechanic can help a young adult understand a repair estimate. A student can invite the classmate who keeps getting left out. Someone who enjoys cooking can make enough for the neighbor whose evenings are spent caring for an aging parent. The need becomes visible, and something we possess becomes a way to respond. And a Compassionate Responder learns to notice those connections. We begin seeing our time, experience, and resources in relation to actual people.
That is part of Bayside’s story. When the church was still meeting at Brackman Middle School, fifty people gave $50,000 on a “Sacrifice Sunday” to help purchase the land where we now gather. Their gifts helped make room for people they hadn’t yet met, and we’re still benefiting from that decision. Now we have a part to play. As I shared Sunday, our giving is running a little over $130,000 behind budget. That sounds overwhelming when we imagine one person carrying it, but shared across a church family, the amount becomes much more manageable.
Consider the math: 1,000 people giving an additional $13 a week for 10 weeks would provide $130,000. The same amount could come from 500 households giving an additional $26 a week for 10 weeks. For someone whose coffee order costs $6.50, making coffee at home twice a week could free up $13. A household that saves $26 by replacing one takeout meal with dinner at home could redirect those savings. Others might postpone a purchase or give a larger one-time gift. Again, there’s obviously nothing wrong with coffee or takeout, but Paul’s question simply helps us see another possibility: What good could that money do if I willingly used it differently? Those choices can help keep rooms ready for children learning Scripture, support ministry to people in difficult seasons, and equip our church to share the gospel. An ordinary purchase forgone can become part of someone else receiving lasting help.
If Bayside is your church home, would you consider a gift beyond your regular giving? You can give securely here. Guests are welcome without obligation, and those struggling to meet basic needs are valued members of this family, not people who need to prove their faith by giving money they don’t have. Our invitation begins with what Jesus has already given when He entered our world, carried our guilt, and gave Himself to bring us to God. He knew the full cost of our rescue and willingly bore it. The One to whom everything belongs gave Himself so that we could belong to Him. We give as people already loved by that Savior and with the help of His Spirit, we can loosen our grip and recognize what His generosity might accomplish through an ordinary choice. Small sacrifices, shared willingly, can make room for lasting good!
Head: Christian freedom gives me opportunities to use what I have for another person’s good.
Heart: What ordinary expense or comfort could I willingly set aside to help someone else?
Hands: Prayerfully choose a realistic amount or everyday expense to redirect toward ministry. If you can participate in closing Bayside’s giving gap, make an additional gift here and plan any further gifts within your means.
Prayer: “Lord Jesus, thank You for giving Yourself to bring me into Your family. Help me recognize the good You could accomplish through what You’ve entrusted to me. May our shared generosity help people come to know and follow You. Amen.”
-PK