Romans 12:14-21
“Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:14-21 (NIV)
There is a sign on Walnut Grove Baptist Church which says: “Just love everybody. I’ll sort ‘em out later – God.” This simple sign and Paul’s verse from Romans are at the core of Christian living. We are not supposed to pick and choose who we love. We are not supposed to judge whether someone is worthy of our blessings or good works. Paul’s words are clear and direct – “as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” Martin Luther’s Commentary calls this verse from Romans “daily bread for the soul.” Paul concludes his writing by encouraging believers to fulfill this list in their daily lives. After all, our beliefs determine our behaviors. But sometimes applying our beliefs is challenging, even though they are firmly in our hearts. When I was teaching, I would tell my college students that the Chinese character for challenge is the same as the one for opportunity.
Paul tells us we will have enemies in this world who will challenge us. Our challenges provide us godly opportunities to practice our faith, but we do not face these challenges alone. Jesus had enemies of the worst kind. But look at how Jesus faced his enemies and look at the people with whom he associated. Reread the verses from Romans above and after each sentence, think about how Jesus’ life as described in the Bible provides perfect examples of how to fulfill every one of these admonitions. These verses from Romans provide a cornucopia of Christian advice; we just need to live them in our lives as Jesus did in his.
Paul also emphasizes Christian fellowship is entering into the feelings of others. Hebrews 13:2 (RSV)–“Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unaware.”
Think how peaceful our lives would be if everyone we know and everyone we meet would live this verse as their “daily bread.” Perhaps that peaceful world needs to begin with each of us!
Questions for Reflection:
- Why is it such a challenge to love our enemies when we know one of God’s greatest commandments is to “love one another?”
- Paul has four principles for getting along with our enemies – blessing, humility, trusting, doing good. Which of these do you struggle with the most?
Prayer:
Dear Father in Heaven,
Help us to follow these verses from Romans as our daily compass. When we go off the path as lost sheep, please lead us back to the fold. May we be your humble servants in this world. Amen.
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