Thoughts on Romans 12; Outdo One Another

"Outdo one another in showing honor."

To outdo is to "surpass in execution or performance". Honor is described as "honesty, fairness, or integrity in one's beliefs and actions".

 "Let your light shine"... not make your light shine. Yes, this comes to mind again as we look at this verse. Outdo -doesn't that mean that we'll have to be comparing ourselves to others? Might this mean that we are to strive to be best? How does this work out anyway?

"I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned." "Never be wise in your own sight."

We are not to be pridefully satisfied if we think we are "doing better", or settle back because, we might think we've passed a few others by. And we are not to simply take a more seasoned fellow traveler's guide without a careful look at the road map we've been given. With our eyes focused on Christ, we're not being told to sneak glances at our neighbor to make sure we are one step above them. We aren't out to beat each other. We are to be watching for ways to serve one another with no thought of what we can get out of it. Eager to do for others, and not willing to take anything from them without paying our debts. Not waiting for others to make the first move, but eagerly looking, not at who isn't doing, but at what we can do. Keeping our focus on Christ's glory, and doing what he sends without thought of self.

"Whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Matthew 10:43-45 

Thoughts on Romans 12; Coals of Fire

I was looking for something orange for the background of this verse. As I was typing the words on it, I was thinking of the fact that it's now fall. Because those darker spots just look like swirling leaves to me, lol. But a certain sister looked over my shoulder and said it looks like pizza, while a certain other sister heard the comment and said, no, it looks like a puzzle (seriously?! Who would want to work a puzzle like that?! Lol!). Whatever it looks like, I wanted to share something I literally just learned, about this verse, haha :). (You know the saying, you learn more when you teach than when you learn? I was reading through Romans 12 trying to decide what to focus on tonight, and I ended up skimming through the commentary notes, where I found this tidbit ;).)

I've always kind of just took this verse without any thought about where the phrase "coals of fire" came from. I guess I just assumed Paul came up with it while he was writing? I don't know, haha. I know when I do something unkind and then the person I have offended is sweet to me, I definitely feel terrible about it, and it can burn your conscience, so, I figured that was the imagery going on here. But I have just learned, thanks to the MacArthur Study Bible, that an ancient Egyptian custom was to walk around with a LITERAL pan of hot coals on their head during a time of public shame over sin, to show the burning pain of their remorse.

Well. You learn something new every day. Haha :)!

And with that being said, I want to stress how very, very important it is that we never stop studying and feasting on God's word! I have read the book of Romans at least 60 times. I've read this individual chapter even more often, and read several commentaries on it. I memorized the chapter, and have spent the month thinking on it as I write this series. But still, there is obviously stuff I was missing :). You might just be surprised at some of the things you come across as you go through something "just one more time" from a fresh perspective :)!

Thoughts on Romans 12; Brotherly Affection

That little babykins is precious. It's an old picture, but it's one of my favorites of 'Siah :).

I love all of my siblings. Each of us have different quirks and gifts, which God has given so that our family as a whole has so much more potential! We each pitch in and help out, and even if you might not think someone's jobs are big- you throw a couple of us out sick, and the difference it changes in the family dynamics is drastic, haha :).

Christ uses the family to illustrate many different things throughout His teachings. Adoption displays His adopting us through His blood; marriage is a picture of the church's union with Him; and we are told to "love one another with brotherly affection." (Romans 12:10)

'Siah recently came and filled the side of the bed Emmi left empty when she moved into Abbi's bed earlier this summer. One of Josiah's quirks is he won't sleep through the night, haha. One of His gifts is his adorable loviness (yes, I just made that word up). For instance, he crawled into bed with Peter and rubbed Peter's head until they were both asleep the other day :)...

Last night, Daddy told us goodnight, turned out the light, and we settled down. A few minutes later, I felt a gentle little pat on my arm, and then a couple more. Then Josiah pulled my arm over to him and snuggled it :). It brought a smile to my face, and reminded me of this verse in Romans 12, "Love one another with brotherly affection" :).

Thoughts on Romans 12:11

Continuing his admonitions, Paul tells us, "do not be slothful in zeal".

"Consider", the writer of Hebrews says in chapter 12, "him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.

Christ gave His very life for us. As he prayed in the garden before His death, he was in such agony that blood was mixed with the sweat that fell down his face. He was beaten, hung to a cross by nails, pierced in the side. "Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sins." Christ shed that blood so that our sins would be counted void. Hebrews points to this sacrifice to renew the reader's zeal to follow Christ.
Zeal is defined as "great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or an objective". We are to serve the Lord with enthusiasm. He gave His life for us, and we get the chance to give our lives to him!

I want to mention something here. You don't have to do big things to serve with zeal. In fact, the small things are often the most important. And you may have already gotten that from some of my other posts, but I just wanted to say it right here, without question. There are many ways this is true, but thinking of serving with zeal, I want to mention this. There is a precious older lady I know who isn't capable of doing much that others think of when they think of being "noticed" around the church. But she is, very clearly, such a big part of our church family. Her notes and happy greetings, her encouragement and admonitions to those she sees every week, I know mean as much to others as they do to me. She might not be able to take care of every need. But those that she can meet are met with joy in serving, with an enthusiasm that brings a smile to your face.

That doesn't mean that we should ditch those bigger needs that do still need filled. If we all did that, there would be chaos. But my point is, what you can do, do with joy for the Lord. Not begrudgingly, and not to "make our light shine". But joyfully, that Christ may increase :).

"And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith" (Galatians 6:9&10)

Thoughts on Romans 12; A way to "Rejoice with those who rejoice"!

Tonight's post is going to be short and sweet, haha :).

If you are a long-time reader, you know about my very-un-weekly Thankful Thursday posts. If you are a new reader through this challenge, you can read a recent Thankful list that gives you some background into those posts here. But, with that aside, I wanted to share this wonderful challenge hosted by Sarah Bryant as part of her "King's Blooming Rose" ministries!

You can sign up at the link given here to join other ladies in praising our Lord each day of November :)! I've joined this challenge the past two years -the first time through my journal, and last year through their online group- and I can say that it has been a blessing in my life! Doing it through my journal was a wonderful way to take time to think about my blessings, and I try to do that semi-regularly through my journal all year round (although I'll admit I haven't been doing it this month as blogging has taken up my evening writing time). But last year was even better, as I got to not only count my blessings, but I was able to read the lists of other girls who reminded me of several things that I had as well, but hadn't thought to praise God for, and we were able to celebrate different things with each other throughout the month :). Each day, you are asked to write down seven things you are thankful for, and the private group is open to whoever wants to sign up! Let me know in the comments if you join- I would love to go "find you" there :)!

Blessings to you,

Bri :)