Entries For: April 2008
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Living Together with Different Views and Needs, Romans 14-15:13 by Jill Horton and Abbe Womble
Romans 14:1-18 (Jill Horton)
When reading this passage, it's easy at first to think that the Romans must have been awfully immature to disagree with each other over such trivial matters as eating and drinking. On closer inspection, however, it's not so different from some of our modern petty disagreements. It seems that some Christians desperately want every point of opinion to have spiritual significance, when that's simply not the case. I think that's one thing Paul is trying to get across here - that we don't have to agree on everything and that we should all act according to our own conscience. He is encouraging the Romans (and us) to love and edify one another and leave judgment up to God.
Paul says, "Who are you to judge someone else's servant?" which I think also speaks to the lack of heirarchy in Christianity. We all "report" to God, not to each other, although we should of course keep each other accountable. Someone with a stronger faith is not the "boss" of a weaker member. We are all equal in Christ.
There are two main points that I take away from all of this:
First, we should love one another always, even when we disagree.
Second, we should be well-acquainted with the gospel and with God through prayer, so that we can discern what matters are essential and which are not.
Romans 14:19-15:13 (Abbe Womble)
To me this passage is about helping others to build a
stronger community in the not so obvious was and then
appreciating the gift of the community that creates.
Paul seems to be saying you can't just take care of
yourself and your issues. You have to think of the
big picture and your actions affect others. In doing
this you create a special community for which we
should be proud and thankful to be a part of.
This reminds me how thankful I am for our church
family and all I receive to help me not struggle. I
am also thankful for how accepted I have always felt
here, truly without judgment. I am also grateful for
our leadership and the direction they lead us in and
the lessons they choose to emphasize.
I feel challenged to think more about how all my
actions affect those around me in the subtle things I
do. I am truly accepting of others without judgment?
Am I working to intentionally help others at all times
in all my actions? Am I attempting to be aware and
supportive of the quiet struggles my family members
are experiencing? I also feel charged to be more
thankful and allow myself to experience the joy this
community creates.
I am struck by the fact that those I consider
spiritual mentors embody this passage well. They are
people who always make me and those around me feel
accepted and supported in all aspects of my life.
These people are open and encouraging. As a result
these people also appear to be humbly experiencing the
reward Paul promises, they are joyful and thankful.
This passage is to me a more in depth "love your
neighbor." As someone who has grown up in a church
family at all times it is easy to become complacent,
and assume I have the big things figured out. This
reminds me there is always so much more to be working
on, and layers to uncover to ensure that I
contributing to my community and appreciating what I
have.
I think this is relevant because we are selfish in
nature. As a result our temptation is to work on our
struggles and to find the way to conquer them that
works best for ourselves, and then assume that this is
the best way for everyone and expect them to follow
suit. This reminds us we all have unique struggles,
but that we are part of a group and that we affect
each other. We all need to be helped and encouraged,
not judged or hindered. We will be grateful that we
did because we will create the community Paul
describes for which we can be thankful and enjoy.
Living as a Righteous Person in the World, Romans 13 by Tyler Knight
Growing up, one of my favorite things to do was to go fishing with my dad on a family ranch in Oklahoma. A good fisherman knows that in order to catch the best fish, one must be prepared to cast his first line at daybreak. Therefore, on the morning of these trips we would wake several hours before sun up. If it was any other morning, I would fight to stay in bed, but on these mornings my excitement would usually wake me when I heard my dad’s footsteps coming up the stairs. There were so many things to do before we could set out on our adventure. We needed a good breakfast for early morning energy, and we packed snacks to sustain us throughout the challenges of the day. To ensure a successful trip, we would load the car with our best fishing attire, poles, tackle, and bait. Once all our preparation was complete, we set out in the early morning hours for what was always a day of great joy.
Like the early mornings of my childhood fishing trips, Romans calls us to “wake up from our slumber” and make the necessary preparations that are vital for a successful Christian life. But what are we waking from? What is our slumber? Romans suggests that the “deeds of darkness” keep us in spiritual night. For me, my deeds of darkness are the distractions of a busy schedule. These distractions put me into spiritual slumber, and keep me there until one of life’s major events catches my attention. The good news is that we don’t need to wait for a life changing event to wake up. By “putting aside” my distractions, I can begin to prepare for and focus on the purpose of our lives, Jesus Christ. As mentioned before, my dad and my fishing preparations included wearing our latest and greatest fishing attire. As Christians we get to “put on the armor of light” and “clothe outselves with the Lord Jesus Christ”. Unlike these trips, I don’t need food to sustain my Christian walk, but by “behaving decently” I am building the character and stamina to live a life for Him, regardless of the challenges life may throw at me. The good news according to Romans 13 is that we aren’t waking early and preparing to catch the biggest fish. We are waking from our spiritual slumber and preparing for salvation, because “our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed”.
