LOVE DOES NOT SEEK ITS OWN

15 YET IF YOUR BROTHER IS GRIEVED BECAUSE OF YOUR FOOD, YOU ARE NO LONGER WALKING IN LOVE. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died.”
16 Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil;
19 THEREFORE LET US PURSUE THE THINGS WHICH MAKE FOR PEACE AND THE THINGS BY WHICH ONE MAY EDIFY ANOTHER.”
Romans 14:15,16,19 (NKJV)

When someone comes to Christ, accepts Him as Saviour and Lord; the person becomes Jesus' disciple and his or her life belongs to God (Ephesians 2:11-13).
A disciple is a learner or pupil who accepts the teaching of Christ, not only in belief but also in lifestyle (John 8:31).
It means your lifestyle should be like that of the Master—Jesus Christ (1 Peter 4:2).
You live your life to please Jesus, and expand His Kingdom on earth (John 15:16; 2 Corinthians 5:15).
It means people can see Christ in you, in your way and manner of life—in your talking, dressing, comportment and whatever (Acts 11:26).

7 FOR NONE OF US LIVES TO HIMSELF, AND NO ONE DIES TO HIMSELF.
8 FOR IF WE LIVE , WE LIVE TO THE LORD; AND IF WE DIE WE DIE TO THE LORD. THEREFORE, WHETHER WE LIVE OR DIE, WE ARE THE LORD'S .”
Romans 14:7,8 (NKJV)

Christ should live through you, and other people should be able to see Him in you, even without you telling them that you are a Christian (Galatians 2:20; Acts 11:26).
A believer in Christ should not think or seek his own, but consider the wellbeing of other believers in the body of Christ: “LET NO ONE SEEK HIS OWN; BUT EACH ONE THE OTHER'S WELLBEING" (1 Corinthians 10:24 NKJV).
You do not think about your personal comfort or satisfaction alone, you think about others (Philippians 2:4).
You consider whatever you are about to do, whether it will affect another brother or sister negatively (Romans 15:1-3).
• If you want to eat, you should consider other brethren; Would my food cause other believers to stumble?
• In your dressing as a Christian sister, Would my dressing fans lust in the believing brothers and men in general?
• In other words, Would it cause them to commit immorality?

“IT IS GOOD NEITHER TO EAT MEAT NOR DRINK WINE NOR DO ANYTHING BY WHICH YOUR BROTHER STUMBLES OR IS OFFENDED OR IS MADE WEAK"
Romans 14:21 (NKJV)

"IT IS BETTER NOT TO EAT MEAT OR DRINK WINE OR DO ANYTHING THAT WILL CAUSE YOUR BROTHER TO SIN."
Romans 14:21 (International Children’s Bible)

"IT IS BETTER NOT TO EAT MEAT OR DRINK WINE OR DO ANYTHING ELSE IF IT MIGHT CAUSE ANOTHER BELIEVER TO STUMBLE."
Romans 14:21 (NLT)

If what you do is causing offence, making other brethren living in sin, then you are not walking in love (Romans 14:15).
What you do may not be a blatant sin per se, and you may be sincere in your heart, but, you should be sensitive to the effects of your actions on others (Romans 15:2; Philippians 2:4).
You should endeavour to know If your actions or words are wounding someone's heart. In other words, you should seek to know if what you are doing is causing a weak believer to go down in faith. And if it is, then you need to change (Romans 15:2).

The point being made is that walking in love is not all about giving somebody material things or greeting people courteously or being charming; it includes seeking the wellbeing of others.
You are seeking the wellbeing of others:
• When you are causing no offence (Romans 14:21).
• When you do not make others stumble through your doings or actions.
• When you do not weaken the faith of others through your liberty (Romans 14:21; 1 Corinthians 8:9,13).

The Bible admonishes us to pursue things which make for peace, aim for harmony; and the things through which others may be edified or built up (Romans 14:19).
You should always ask yourself, as a believer in Christ Jesus:
• Am I building other people up through my conducts and acts?
• Are my ways and manner of life building other believers up?
As a believer, if you are not concious of this fact and you are less concern about it, it means you are not walking in love.
It means you do not care, even if your attitude or behaviour, what you do or say, causes other people to fall or stumble (Philippians 2:4).

Inability to consider other people’s weaknesses, what may be the effect of your deeds on others, is a sign of immaturity and lack of love—LOVE DOES NOT SEEK ITS OWN (1 Corinthians 13:5).
Such attitude is about not being sensitive to the wellbeing of other believers: “DO NOT DESTROY THE WORK OF GOD FOR THE SAKE OF FOOD” (Romans 14:20 NKJV).
In other words, do not destroy the work of God—cause other believers to stumble—because of your insensitivity to others.

4 LOVE SUFFERS LONG AND IS KIND; love does not envy; love does not parade itself; is not puffed up [arrogant];
5 does not behave rudely, DOES NOT SEEK ITS OWN, is not provoked, thinks no evil [keeps no account of evil];
6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;
7 BEARS ALL THINGS, BELIEVES ALL THINGS, HOPES ALL THINGS, ENDURES ALL THINGS.
8 LOVE NEVER FAILS.”
1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (NKJV)

Peace.