must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve.”
Having children provides this same lesson. Before they have children parents are free to do all sorts of things for their own benefit and pleasure. But when children are in the home, some things must be curtailed — not because they are wrong, not because they are forbidden or unlawful, but because children are prone to mimic behaviors they see without discernment. “Monkey see, monkey do,” as the old adage goes. Children learn by imitation, so adults need to do only those things that will not be abused or misused by those who are less discerning.
Christians are free to eat whatever is available at the market without concerns about propriety, morality or conscience. Because pagan rituals have no spiritual power there is no spiritual danger from pagan ritual foods. But if someone makes a point about the fact that the food is associated with pagan rituals, if someone brings it up, if someone points it out to you, then there is another concern.
This new concern is not about the food, or your freedom to eat whatever you want, but about the person who brought up the concern. If it was not an issue for that person, he would not have brought it up. So, if the concern is raised, it is a real concern. And it is incumbent upon the more mature Christian to set an example that will not be misinterpreted by the less mature Christian, or by the person who has yet to confess Christ as Lord. At this point, the issue is not the food or the power of pagan gods, but service to a fellow or potential Christian. Our obligation to be of service to others trumps our freedom in Christ to do what pleases us.
Paul