Scripture:
Romans 12:9-13 ESV
[9] Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. [10] Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. [11] Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, and serve the Lord. [12] Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. [13] Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.
Observation:
Romans is a great book. There is a lot of good information on what salvation looks like in the chapters that Paul wrote there. He discusses the struggles with the flesh and even tells us that the problem starts with the way we think most of the time. Here in chapter 12, which contains one of my favorite verses 12:2. Paul tells us that love is the answer. But not just some fake smile and an… I’m happy to see you kind of love …. but a real genuine compassion for others. After looking up the word abhor, I found that it means to hate or be discussed with. So basically, what Paul is saying here is to hate the sin but love the sinner. Treating everyone with brotherly affection, courtesy, and respect, and do it in a real and genuine manner. The next part of verse 10 is the one that caught my attention this morning. Outdo one another in showing honor. I believe what is being said is to recognize others in a manner that is honorable and responsible with a level of humility that shows the other person they are loved and valued and not be lazy about it or slothful. Be anxious and prevalent about it. Serving the LORD, I’m a manner worthy of the calling that HE has placed on you. The verses that were chosen this morning are all instructions for what it looks like to walk according to what GOD has called you to. So when we come to verse 12, we should not be surprised to see the word, patient, and tribulation. What Paul is saying is we will all face stuff, hold tight to the LORD in prayer, and HE will see you through. Helping others and showing hospitality are cornerstones of the Christian life and should not be forgotten about.
Application:
I know we have all given that half-fake response to someone when we see them… a smile and a handshake or a hug, but our hearts were not completely in it. Maybe our mind was somewhere else. Perhaps we were even standing at the door of the church waiting for someone we invited when someone who needed a little time showed up first, and we were so distracted by our anticipation for the other person that we missed the opportunity to honor the one in need. It’s easy to do. In fact, what am doing right here is telling on myself. The thing is, people see fake half-hearted responses, and it can make them feel uncomfortable or even unimportant, and GOD made every one of us. Being present in the conversation that is right in front of you is one of the ways you can honor others. As the world goes around, our plates get heavy, and living a distracted lifestyle can become a normal everyday thing. But what does it mean to show honor and hospitality to others? Well, in my mind, it means setting aside my agenda for a few short moments to see and meet the needs of the person whom the father just placed in front of me. They are there for a reason, and GOD has equipped you for the task, or HE would not have brought them to you. Everything I read in the bible says we are to love people, even our enemies. Showing them honor is probably not an easy thing to do, but it must be done as well. Genuine love can be seen by those who receive it. They know whether or not you are real in your affection for them. It’s hard to put ourselves aside and truly focus on someone else, but when we do that, our problems seem to become less important and honestly smaller than we ever thought they could be. GOD is love, and to love is to show others HIS eternal character. My challenge to you today is to show honor to everyone you come into contact with today. Even when you don’t want to. Be present in every conversation. GOD puts right in front of you. Do not seek to be heard but to hear what is being said. You will be amazed at the doors that GOD will open for you if you love others. Lay your distractions down long enough to show someone that they are important enough for you to lay your distractions down, and you will gain an opportunity to speak into their lives. After all, that’s what it’s all about. Lives are changed by the love of Christ that dwells in us.
Prayer:
Father, as you know, we love you, and we want to be used by you. That’s our heart’s desire. Help us to take the time to love. As we go through our day life, gets full, and we never seem to have enough time. But you are telling us that people are more important than our to-do list. Help us realize that and honor them. Doing our very best to meet their needs. We don’t want to miss the opportunity to show someone who you are through the way we treat them. Ministry happens in the inconvenience. So help is to see it as an opportunity to serve you and not a setback on our schedule. Let us love like you love. It’s in the mighty name of Jesus I pray amen.