Today I’m going to look at more practical advice from Romans 12. If you remember, last week I looked at what it means to be a living sacrifice. I’d like to suggest now that if we are a ‘living sacrifice,’ putting other’s needs and the needs of God’s kingdom above our own, if we are concerned with these things and pleasing God, we are less likely to become conceited and puffed up with our own self importance, Romans 12:3.
There is another side to having sound judgment about ourselves. As well as not being conceited, it also means not putting ourselves down either. It also means accepting others and their role in the body of Christ, which is the church. We each have different gifts and are given different opportunities to use those gifts in God’s service, verse 6.
Not all of us can be teachers or lead the music and be up the front and some have no desire to be either. They are great at building relationships with others, relating one to one, or encouraging others. Their gifts might be more pastoral care, visiting people and talking to them, whereas others should never be let near such a task as they don’t gave the gifts of tact and empathy and sensitivity needed,
Others may be better at practical jobs like sound equipment, building maintenance, making cups of tea, whatever. Those who have a certain gift whatever it may be, are to use in the building of God’s kingdom and to God’s glory.
Christians are not only called to accept each other but to show love to each other, verse 10. We are called to be joyful because of the hope we have, to stand firm and persevere in tough times and tribulation, and to be ‘devoted to prayer.’ If all of us in our churches took these admonitions of Paul seriously, our churches would be vibrant growing places constantly drawing more people into God’s kingdom.
Christians are called to be generous, not just with money and worldly possessions but in using our gifts, and in our time and our relationships. We are called to be a blessing to others, to empathize with others, to be a friend, to be approachable and as far as possible to live at peace with others, verses 12-18. Does this sound like your life? If not, why not stop now and ask God to show you the areas where you need to improve and then allow Him to help you with them.
Bible verses from the New American Standard Version
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