Let love be genuine

 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.

Romans 12:9,10 ESV

These two verses really hinge on the first sentence, “Let love be genuine”. Paul wants his readers to know that love of the body of believers is to be genuine. He wants them to realize that they should love the body that they are a part of.

When you think of it this passage is really pointing out what the marks of a true Christian are; love for the brotherhood, love for what is good, disdain for what is evil and honoring the body of Christ.

Paul uses the word “outdo” when he refers to honoring other members of the body (church). Think of the ramifications of this idea, outdoing one another in honoring each other as valuable parts of the body. Would anyone feel insignificant within the body? Or, would every member feel important to the function of the body? I think it would be the latter.

What Paul is getting at is that everyone matters, people matter. He wants every member to be cognizant of every other member. He wants the body of believers to function at its highest level.

Today let's turn our focus to others within the church and honor them for the person they are and what they bring to the whole. Help them to see that they truly matter. Let our approach be genuine as we seek to build up the body.

© 2012 Leo J. Woodman

We have gifts, let's use them

 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. Romans 12: 6-8 ESV

Paul speaks of a multitude of gifts that exist within the body of Christ. It is not an all inclusive list, but it covers a lot of gifts that many of us have to some degree. Just look at the list and see if you fall under one of those categories. If you do, are you using your gift to serve the body?

I want to focus on one particular gift that I believe is overlooked far too often, service. Everyone of us within the body have been called to serve. Yet, this isn't what many want to pursue. We have a tendency to look at some of the more “glorious” gifts of teaching, giving and leading and we covet them. We covet them as though we could serve Jesus and His body better if those were our gifts.

When we do that, I think we over look what was at the heart of Jesus ministry and what He wants us to appreciate. When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, "Do you understand what I have done to you? If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. John 13:12, 14 ESV Jesus Himself set the example as one who serves the needs of others. We are to follow in His steps.

Take another look at the list of gifts, at the core of every gift is service. Service to the body of Christ. Let's make up our minds today that we will serve the body with whatever gifts we have been given. The one gift that we all have, is the ability to serve. Find a place you can serve in the body today and serve because He served.

© 2012 Leo J. Woodman