The Blessing and Responsibility of Victory

By Danny Saavedra

"That day, after the Israelites had struck down the Philistines from Mikmash to Aijalon, they were exhausted. They pounced on the plunder and, taking sheep, cattle and calves, they butchered them on the ground and ate them, together with the blood. Then someone said to Saul, 'Look, the men are sinning against the Lord by eating meat that has blood in it.' 'You have broken faith,' he said. 'Roll a large stone over here at once.' Then he said, 'Go out among the men and tell them, “Bring me your cattle and sheep and slaughter them here and eat them; do not sin against the Lord by eating meat with blood still in it.”’ So that night they slaughtered their animals and ate them.”—1 Samuel 14:31–35 (NIV)

If you’re a football fan, you may have seen this happen: Your team’s QB throws a big touchdown pass to the star receiver. And in the excitement, the receiver’s celebration goes a little too far and costs the team 15 yards on the ensuing kickoff, just as they’re on the comeback trail. Those extra yards make it impossible to stop the other team from scoring. So, the receiver who got swept up in the excitement ended up costing the team.

For Israel, the victory was sweet, but they were so eager to enjoy the spoils of war that they neglected God’s commands. Eating meat with blood was forbidden, and Saul had to step in to correct the situation. Victory, when not tempered with responsibility, can lead to sin and consequences.

For us, the celebration of a victory and eating meat with blood isn’t really an issue, right? But the idea behind self-control and obedience still stands. How so? I would encourage you to consider your freedom in Christ.

It’s easy to say, “In Christ, I have the freedom to do anything because I’m saved by grace!” But friends, Christian liberty must operate within the limits of love! Is our use of the freedom afforded to us by the sacrifice of Jesus being used to demonstrate our love for Jesus and others, or is it selfishly motivated? Consider the words of the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 10:23–24 (NIV) when he said, “’I have the right to do anything,’ you say—but not everything is beneficial. ‘I have the right to do anything’—but not everything is constructive. No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.”

Now, I know what you may be saying, “But Danny, why should I be responsible for someone else’s faith? Why should I be responsible for the way they respond or react or get triggered by something I’m doing that isn’t even wrong? They should be responsible for themselves!” Believe me, I’ve wrestled with this myself, and here’s where I’ve landed:

It's absolutely true that each individual is responsible for their own actions, responses, and ultimately their walk with the Lord, but it’s only half true. Yes, everyone should be held accountable for what they say and do. The way we use our freedom doesn’t give anyone a pass for sin or evil, but the reality is some are weaker in their faith, in their maturity, in their self-control, in their conscience. Some people have very real challenges and struggles and deeply held personal convictions and hard boundaries for themselves in certain areas. And if I know about it and just disregard that in the name of “I’m not my brother’s keeper” or “I have the right to do anything,” 1 Corinthians 8 says that it then ceases to be a gray area and instead becomes sin on my part!

Maybe for you personally, listening to secular music, playing Dungeons & Dragons, watching Stranger Things or House of the Dragon or some other show and movie, reading Harry Potter, getting tattoos, drinking alcohol in moderation, or having a cigar on occasion leaves your conscience perfectly clear. Maybe you have zero issues giving your money to companies like Netflix, Disney, Target, Taco Bell, or Starbucks, despite ideologies that don’t line up with our faith.

If that’s you, cool! So long as these things don’t have mastery over you and don’t cross into any inappropriate areas, you’re all good! But if you know your friend is caused to stumble or tempted to sin by going to a sports bar, or they have a moral issue with shopping at Target or watching a certain type of movie, then don’t do these things when you’re with them. Otherwise, you’re violating Jesus’ commandment to love one another as He loves us, and you are in fact sinning.

I hope you hear my heart on this. It’s not to shame or judge anyone, but as Romans 14:13 says, “Make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister.” Don’t let your victory in Christ lead to sin.

Pause: How can you celebrate your victory in Christ in a way that honors God?

Practice: Think of a recent blessing or victory in your life. How can you express gratitude to God for it in a way that acknowledges His role in it?

Pray: Father, help me to celebrate Your blessings and the grace and freedom of Christ with a heart that honors You and loves others. Thank You for every victory, and guide me in living according to Your will. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.