Sometimes ministry looks like sitting in the door frame of a church for 2 hours to keep a dog from running in during service.
As I sat there shooing the dog and listening to the sermon in a foreign language, I read through some of the book of Romans. I’m currently reading through the book and it’s by far my favorite book of the bible that I have read through so far. So really I just want to use this time to share with you a little bit of the greatness of it.
“For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.” Romans 12:4-8
Just like a human body with many body parts, we, as Christians, are each a part of the body coming together to form the church.
Many times people think of Christianity as having to look and act a certain way. It’s thought that since we believe in the same thing that we must be the same. But that isn’t true at all.
God needs and wants to use our differences. The people of this world need our differences. We should bring all of our different strengths together, rather than allow them to separate us.
One thing I’m learning is to be mindful and learn from the person next to me without belittling my own strengths and the person God made me to be. We can always learn from others, but when we try to duplicate other’s strengths we miss out on the great strengths God has placed inside of us.
So be YOU! The world needs YOU.
Also the “Love in Action” section of Romans 12 is so great. So I’ll just put a few bullet points of the greatness of it.
-be devoted to one another
-honor one another
-be joyful, patient, faithful
-practice hospitality
-rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn
-live in harmony with one another
-live at peace with one another
-don’t be proud
-don’t be conceited
-don’t repay evil for evil
-don’t take revenge
And to sum all that up: Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Y’all I just love this all so much. How it calls us to love one another and come together in unity despite our differences.
Romans 13:8 brings it together pretty well… “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.”
LOVING EACH OTHER NEVER ENDS!! And it’s so great and represents the love of our God. It even goes on to say that the all the commandments are summed up as “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
And since love does no harm, love actually fulfills the law.
So yeah. I really just wanted to share with y’all how much I love love. And love people and love God’s love for us and love the way our differences are needed.
Amen for differences and love!
