I. The Word: Romans 12:14-18

14Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation. 17Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. 18If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.

II. Reflection Questions:

1. Who are these verses in relation to those close to us or in conflict?

2. Why are we to act in this way

3. How would the world look if all Christ followers did these things.

In the preceding verses Paul addresses interactions with those within the aforementioned “Body”. In Verses 14-18 he transitions to the those who are not walking with us as family or share our common set of beliefs, even extending to our enemies. “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse”  Being in Houston we can all relate to a common experience which constantly tests where we are in our Christian progress and how we deal with persecution… traffic. When we are in the far left lane and our GPS tells us we need to take a right in 500ft we have had our turn blinker on for 10 mins only to have someone in a Fiat Sport block any attempt for us to change lanes while staring you down and displaying a proficient use of what can only be described as “Samuel L Jackson’s guide to sign language”.

A natural response may be to return in kind or maybe even pray like Elijah “God let fire rain from heaven and smite them while I can see it.” However, in reference to the beginning of chapter 12 we are to be transformed by the renewing of our mind, not acting and thinking as one patterned after the world, but through the mind of Christ. Rather, it’s celebrating the promotion of a coworker who may work less than you (V15), being filled with compassion to drive us to make someone’s else’s concerns our own (V15), or having a conversation with a homeless individual rather than simply handing them money and walking away (V16).

We are called to literally go against the grain and disadvantage ourselves for the advantage of someone who could care less; and that, in essence, was/is/will be what our new pattern (Christ) calls us to do. I consider this the counter intuitiveness of the spirit. It’s not what we would naturally do, or what the counter party expects, but what only the spirit’s empowerment can cause you to live out of a renewed mind that results in you modeling God over man.  Ultimately this shouldn’t put us on a pedastol, especially if we are acting corporately as the greater Body. Instead, by juxtaposition it elevates our God, exemplifying the reality that ” greater is he who is in me than he that is in the world.”

Versus 17 and 18 up the ante, “Live at peace with the everybody”…that doesn’t even work at the children’s museum, trust me. This only makes sense if we as the body are representative of and model something more than our individual parts. Thank God for the grace he gives and his empowerment to test and approve of His good, pleasing, and perfect will.