Different Calendars, Same Manger

Date: Wednesday, September 30, 2026

Romans 14 tackles something wonderfully unglamorous: what do you do when Christians disagree over religious ritual? Paul’s answer isn’t “settle the debate,” it’s “stop judging each other and get over it.” Whether someone eats meat or observes a particular day, he says, let them do it unto the Lord, fully convinced in their own mind, because “the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.” This is Paul protecting the church’s unity by relocating the center of gravity: not preferences, not mission strategy, not cultural ideology, but Christ alone.

I think of a dear friend from an Orthodox parish who celebrates Christmas on January 7th, following the older Julian calendar, while my own tradition sings carols on December 25th. For years that struck me as merely a curiosity; now I see it as a small, living picture of Romans 14. Neither of us is wrong to honor the day as we do. We’re both worshiping the same incarnate Christ, just keeping different calendars. The old saying attributed to the early church fathers still holds: unity in essentials, liberty in non-essentials, and charity in all things.

Somewhere today, another believer is doing something disputable that you’d never do yourself. Or advocating for people you don’t feel called to serve. Before you judge it, ask whether it’s actually essential, or just unfamiliar.

Devotional Prompts:

What “disputable matters” among Christians tempt you to judge others rather than extend charity?
How does relocating the kingdom’s center to “righteousness, peace, and joy” change how you view differing traditions?
Where might God be inviting you to extend more liberty to a fellow believer this week?

Prayer: Lord of the whole Church, thank You for the beautiful diversity within Your one body. Forgive my judgment over matters that aren’t essential, and fill me with charity toward those who worship You differently than I do. Amen.