Scripture: Romans 12:9-21
12:9 Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good;
12:10 Love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor.
12:11 Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord.
12:12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer.
12:13 Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.
12:14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.
12:15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.
12:16 Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are.
12:17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all.
12:18 If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.
12:19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord."
12:20 On the contrary, "if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads."
12:21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
One of my favorite quotes, and I use it often, is from Gilbert K. Chesterton: "Christianity has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and not tried." Chesterton also said, "Tolerance is the virtue of the man without convictions." We're afflicted with a great deal of that plague in this age, also, but let's stick with the first quote for now.
Chapter 12 of Romans, verses 9 - 21, contain some of the most straight forward words that God has given us through His inspired Bible. Taken in total, it is love in action. There is no hypocrisy here, no double-talk, no shading or temptation of evil. This is love in action. This is plain English, easily understood.
What's the first thing we see here: Love in action must be sincere; hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.
Notice the lack of "ifs", "ands", or "buts".
It doesn't say love one another if the other person is nice to you, and you are impressed with them, but they don't treat you badly. No. "Love one another with mutual affection." In fact, it goes further with "...outdo one another in showing honor."
I know, I know, it's not easy. Someone bad mouths someone you care about, someone in your family, perhaps a political candidate you support. And the usual reaction is an immediate, "Oh yeah, well you're one, too!"
Have you checked the source of that person's information? What if they are right and you are behind the information curve? But let's say they are wrong, you know they are wrong, and you can prove they are wrong. Allllright! Time to bring out the big guns and just smear them, right? No. No.
Take a look at verse 11. While you are not to "lag in zeal," and you are to "be ardent in spirit," you are also to "serve the Lord." Slamming someone with whom you do not agree is serving your own emotions, not serving the Lord.
If you look around you today, the current financial disaster afflicting America, and this coming election have divided people as perhaps never before. Just the anger and frustration of losing your job, losing your home, not being able to provide for your family as you would want to do, all of this will skew your entire approach to others, and to life.
Why me? A frequent and prevalent question. Why me? And lacking an easy answer to that, reactions run the gamut from fiery verbal blasts to all range of violent physical reactions.
But that's not what God expects, and Paul says so plainly. Beginning in verse 11, Paul writes: "Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all."
That's what God expects. And again I say, "I know, I know. It's not easy." But there is a reward for the sacrifice of Jesus' disciples. What is at stake, and the reward thereof is so much more important than the winning of an argument, even that of winning an election.
For that matter, we are not in charge of anything more than our own actions. Insofar as our actions have an impact on a discussion, or on an election, we are responsible. But no more than that. Beyond our own capabilities, it must rest in God's hands.
Prayer and fasting, as much as our actions within the will of God, will find solutions, heal old wounds, and move elections. After all, in Psalm 75:7, we read "But it is God who judges: He brings one down, He exalts another."
It is rigorously counter-productive for the Christian to attack others over any issue. Jesus' words to His disciples at the Sermon of the Mount included these: "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." You cannot do that with your foot on another man's throat. In Jesus' words set down in Matthew 5, 6 and 7, known at the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus outlines a very definite way of life for those who would following him.
To those who would follow Him half-heartedly, or in word only, Jesus promises this response: "I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!"
So we cannot go about speaking for God where He doesn't speak, putting into action our own angry desires and self-righteousness, attacking others because they don't agree with us.
In today's scripture we read in verse 19, "Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, "'Vengeance is mine, I will repay,' says the Lord. No, 'if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."
Those who follow Jesus Christ must understand that obedience is more important than sacrifice, than gaining ground, even than winning. For there is only one war to be won, and Jesus Christ has already gained that victory. As far back as 1st Samuel 15:22, God told His people, "to obey is better than sacrifice." It is obedience God wants from His people. And how that is lived out is much simpler than some people seem to want to make it. It's not brain surgery. It's as simple as following Romans 12: 9-21 -- " Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good..."
Amen.
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