Seventh, recreation has to do not only with physical fitness but also with one’s disposition. When a person is doing what he likes to do, he tends to be more mentally relaxed and psychologically happy. Doing something that you do not enjoy doing is a labor; it is not a recreation. Some sisters love flowers. If you ask them to water flowers for half an hour, they show no sign of fatigue, even though the same task may tire others out. Before they do it, they may be quite tense, but after they work, they feel relaxed. However, if you ask a person who has an aversion for flowers and who hates gardening to water for half an hour, this will be a burden. Therefore, recreation is related to disposition as well. In choosing a certain form of recreation, you must choose the kind of activity that will relax your nerves and calm your mind, like the examples we have just mentioned. Everyone has some kind of recreation that suits him. Gardening is a recreation to some; to others, it is not. Some like dogs and cats, while others are nervous and fearful when they are around them. We must find something we like. These things will enhance our work.
Asking me to go to the sea would not be recreational to me, but a river does provide recreation to me. Some brothers are different. The stronger the waves, the better it is for them. They are happy to see a boat tossing back and forth in the sea. These are things they like, and they are happy when they do them. Such activities refresh their minds. This has to do with disposition. You must choose the kind of recreation that matches your disposition so that it will restore your physical strength. If you choose something which goes against your disposition, you will feel tired and will not want to continue with it.
Eighth, as Christians, we must be an example to others in all things. We do not want to be a stumbling block to others even in the matter of recreation. We live for the Lord as well as for the brothers; we do not live for ourselves. We must not care just for ourselves and neglect others. Do not complain saying, “Why must they look at me?” Who will they look at if they do not look at you? Of course, they will look at you. If a city is built on a hill, who will not see it? Of course, others will see it. No matter what our conviction is, we must take care of our influence on the young brothers when they see us doing what we are doing. We must ask whether the things we do will stumble others. We are children of God; we have believed in the Lord. We must have sensitive feelings. We must realize that we are responsible to God as well as to many young brothers and sisters.
It does not pose a problem if someone thinks that he can eat meat, but if his eating stumbles a brother, he should not eat. It is not wrong for him to eat meat, but it is wrong if his eating stumbles others. In the same way, it is not wrong to have recreation, but it is wrong to stumble the brothers.
We must consider what the weak ones will think about the many things that we do. I do not want to be a stumbling block to the weak ones. The Lord did not say that we should not be a stumbling block to the strong. Rather, He said we should not be a stumbling block to the weak. There are many whose conscience is weak. They think that they should not go to the temple. In order to take care of the weak conscience of the brother, I will not go to the temple, even though I know that idols are nothing. In the light of this principle, we should not engage in any recreation that will stumble a brother.
What should you do if you are peaceful in your conscience about something, but someone else is not? You must take care of more than the peace in your conscience. You must remember that someone else’s conscience will be bothered by your action. You must refrain from the things that stumble him. It is not enough to say that you will not be stumbled. Remember that others may be stumbled. It is not enough to say that your conscience is at peace; you must remember that someone else’s conscience may not be at peace. Do not say, “This will not lead me to sin.” Remember that others could sin because of this. You may not have any problem with this matter, but others may have a problem with it. What should you do? We have to turn away from many kinds of recreation for the sake of the brothers.
We must see that many things are lawful but not all things are expedient. Therefore, we must be very careful with our conduct, the more careful the better. We must always learn to take the proper way. We must learn to walk carefully. We allow our brothers and sisters to have some recreation. Recreation is permissible, but sometimes this recreation may stumble others. If this happens, it is better not to do such things at all. We must be careful especially with those who easily come under bondage. Some are easily affected; they easily come under bondage. We must be careful with them. Many people fall easily. If we are a little careless with them, they will fall. This is why we must pay attention to this matter.