By Scott Brown
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Waverly
Focal Passage: Romans 12:9-21
We’ve all likely heard stories of church hurt, crazy church splits and generally rowdy business meetings. It’s a shame so many are true. I’ve been in churches where you can smell the animosity in the air almost immediately.
I knew one that paid an off-duty officer to sit in just to keep the peace. Why do I tell you this? It is almost entirely opposite what the local church should look like.
A church that is consumed with infighting, selfishness and bitterness is a church that simply cannot have a positive impact on their community or the Kingdom.
Is it not time to put our pride behind us and honor others humbly for the sake of the gospel? Can we not put our differences in perspective, showing them to be meaningless in light of our mission and be united in what matters while allowing the things that ultimately do not matter to truly no longer matter?
Brown
Psalm 133:1 remarks how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell together in unity. I can feel that in my soul. In John 13 Jesus tells us all men will know we are His disciples by our love. In our text this week, Paul commands our love should be sincere and deep.
We must take the lead in honoring one another. Another translation says to “outdo one another in showing honor.” This is not a reactive thing where we give honor and respect on the basis of what we have received from a person.
Like much of the Christian walk, we give honor to one another as an act of worship to Jesus. Christians are able to bless those who curse us and honor those who may treat us with dishonor.
We can do so because we draw from a well of grace and mercy found only in our relationship with Jesus Christ.
When I think of all that Christ has done for me and His longsuffering toward utterly undeserving me, how can I help but extend grace toward all others, even in spite of themselves? This entire text is focused on being proactive instead of reactive. Regardless of how others behave toward me, I am commanded and able to bless them, honor them and extend undeserved grace to them.
I love verse 18. If it is at all possible, as much as depends on us, we should live at peace with everyone. It is not always possible, though. We must do everything we can to have peace.
If we’ve done everything we can and they still don’t want peace, we just keep loving the Lord and doing what’s right. If I can’t have peace with another, I want to at least be able to stand before God and know I did everything I could to have it.
Finally, the text ends with an encouragement to conquer evil with good. We will either be conquered by the evil around us and thrown at us or we will conquer it with good instead. May we conquer evil, wheresoever we meet it, with good. B&R
