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”.