Living to Please Others
Romans 15:1-13
Paul is now speaking of unity in faith and the acceptance of others thru love. He speaks once again about not living solely to please ourselves. Remembering the statement, “no man is an island unto himself”, we are to reach out to our brethren as a means of helping them rather than collect God’s blessings hoarding them only for ourselves. If God is our Jehovah Jireh, our provider, then why would we need to keep things to ourselves. I often pray, “Lord bless me so that I may be a blessing, not simply so I am blessed, but so I might pass them on to others.”Christianity speaks of unity; therefore, it behooves us all to accept those who are different than us for they too are God’s children and worthy of our respect and acceptance.
Life isn’t a contest to see who can be the best or most holy because regardless of how we feel about ourselves and the way we are living, chances are we all fall woefully short of what is expected of us. Remember, we must compare ourselves to God and God alone and not our fellow man. Only that way will be see our true spiritual condition.
The church in Rome was highly diverse, being made up of Jews and Gentiles, slaves, and free men, rich and poor, and both spiritually strong and weak. Just like these early believers, we are to accept them into our homes as well as our hearts. Acceptance means sharing meals and activities while avoiding racial or economic discrimination. They were told by Paul not to play favorites, but rather go out of your way to interact with people you don’t know, seeking to minimize differences while looking for common ground.
Paul advised the Roman brethren to accept all others within the faith, for this is just what Christ did for you...loved and accepted you in spite of yourself and your many flaws. Live a life that brings glory to God and not anyone else. Know God’s story so you can trust Him implicitly based on His past performance throughout scripture. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.
In His name & for His glory,
Richard Keller
Bread of Life Ministries
Resource: The Life Application Study Bible.
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