No one wants his good to be thought of as evil. And it’s true that optics matter, but only so far. There comes a time in which true goodness outweighs mere appearances and the opinions of others.
To be sure, we don’t want to use our freedom in a way that causes other people to stumble in their faith. And so we must consider the optics as we engage in the things of this world. What would be the equivalent of eating meat offered to idols today? And have we become so prideful in our freedom that we no longer consider how our choices might influence others, even when we’re not doing anything wrong per se?
At the same time, love doesn’t require us to walk on eggshells to merely keep the grumbling offenses of others at bay. In fact, like Jesus eating with the tax collectors and sinners of his day, love might also call us into politically incorrect situations. Of course, this is not to participate in sin. But it is exercising our freedom to see and pursue a greater good regardless of how it might look to others.
For instance, we might partner with those we disagree with politically, or even religiously, to advance a good cause in our community. While many might wonder the extent of such partnership, we don’t have to hinder our practice of love to appease all such inquiries. We can remain steadfast in our convictions without constantly worrying about appearances.
And this might be true closer to home as well. For example, just because people are prone to misuse and abuse various forms of Beauty doesn’t mean we have to restrict our delight in the good God has created. Perhaps we’re mindful of the time and place of our celebration, as to not tempt others unnecessarily. But certainly when this is just a matter of personal preference, taste, or opinion, we don’t have to give up the joys God has given us to receive with thanksgiving.
In the end, optics matter. But don’t enslave yourself to mere appearances and neglect the greater good.
