Christian living                                                                  

In Romans 12:9-21, the apostle Paul, in writing to Christians, gives some guidelines for Christian living. Please read these verses for yourself, but this is what I take away from Paul’s discourse.

We are to love unconditionally and let our love be expressed in tender affection. Our love should be demonstrated actively in meeting the needs of and being hospitable to others. This should be directed to fellow Christians first but also to strangers and even those who treat us badly or hurt us. We should be focused on good and hate anything evil. Patience is needed when pressures and afflictions come against us and we should respond with rejoicing, standing firm in trust of our loving heavenly Father. Try to be a blessing to and love anyone who acts as an enemy; avoid anger and never seek revenge. Let’s avoid opinions and criticism and leave any judgement to God. Walk in peace and seek unity, even if others refuse to.

Be an encourager; praise God for the success of others and show great compassion and sympathy when others suffer hurt and loss. Be a friend to all and put others first. Don’t elevate yourself as a know it all, or the bee’s knees, or the cat’s meow, but be humble. Be spiritually on fire for God, sold out to his commands, completely focused on serving and pleasing him.

I don’t know about you but there were some places where I felt an ouch and was convicted in this passage from Romans. This is one of those sets of verses that we need to prayerfully read and re-read and re-read. We need to read with an open heart and allow the Holy Spirit to chasten and encourage us. Let’s sit quietly and ask the Lord to show us where we need to grow and where we may have blind spots.

This excites me as I am sure it does you. Let’s dig in with renewed fervency and diligence to grow in Christ, and be his beacon of light on the earth. Heaven knows that light is needed.