LIVING THE CHRISTIAN LIFE

ROMANS 12:12–15

Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality

(Romans 12:13).

Back in Romans 12:1, Paul said that we are to offer our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. Paul follows this admonition with a whole series of statements that shows us what it means to live our lives as Christians.

He calls on us to be sensitive to what is going on around us in the community of faith. We must be aware of the needs of other Christians. Thus, we are to be generous people, giving our time, our persons, our money, our whole lives.

In verse 14, he says, “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.” The word bless here means “speak well of.” He means that we are to speak well of those who cause us trouble and not carry on a campaign of undermining them. To say something good about someone who has persecuted us takes as much grace as anything in life because our tendency is to want to get even.

Verse 15 continues, “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.” This seems easy enough: When you see someone happy, join in; when someone is in pain, give sympathy. However, it’s not always that easy. One great source of stress in marriage, for instance, is a clash of moods. The husband comes home elated about something good that happened on the job, but the wife has been frustrated all day long and is tired. Or vice versa. In any event, when moods clash, sparks tend to fly.

It takes real grace, discipline, and sensitivity to stop being self-centered, to watch for the moods of others, and to express empathy. Empathy means to “feel with” another person. This requires us to set ourselves aside and focus our attention on the other person.

CORAM DEO

Today, use Romans 12:12–15 to measure yourself. Are there things you could share that you have not been? How do you measure up in the area of hospitality? Do you find yourself sensitive or insensitive to the moods of those closest to you? These traits don’t come naturally. We are by nature self-centered and it will take a strong reliance upon the Spirit to turn outward toward others. Pray today for an opportunity to practice these virtues.

For further study: Leviticus 19:9–10; Deuteronomy 24:19–22; 1 Peter 4:7–11

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