Romans 12 Challenge - Week 6 - Verses 17-18

August 25-31

Romans 12:17-18

 

Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.   If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

 

Take the Romans 12 Challenge!

• Memorize the weekly verse(s)
• Pray the prayer every morning/evening
• Print the reminder card, post it somewhere visible, take it with you
• Every time you see the "12" of the Seahawks' 12th man flag, think about applying these thoughts to your life.
• Post a comment to this blog to share how God is transforming you for good!





copy & print for reminder card - black & white

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Think about it

Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. “Take thought for what is good in the sight of all people.” This verse is open to misinterpretation. It basically means that when there is something that Christians and the culture agree is good, make sure you do it.  Pick the low-hanging fruit first!  Remember that Paul’s main message in Romans 12 is to hold tightly to what is discerned to be good by a God-renewed mind, and that this may bring us into nonconformity with the pattern of this world (v. 2, 9).  Bible scholar Paul Achtemeier reminds us that “The problem is not that there is no good alongside the evil (in secular society). The problem is that secular society is unable to discern the difference, often confusing what is bad with what is good” (Commentary on Romans, p. 202).

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Christ’s followers are called to be peace keepers and peace makers (see Mark 9:50, Matthew 5:9, and Galatians 5:22).  These instructions do not require us to control others’ behavior, only our own. 

 

Pray about it

Lord, help me stop and think before I respond so I don’t do something everyone knows is wrong.  Show me what I can do to maintain relationships, even if others don’t cooperate.  I want to be a peace maker, not a peace breaker. Amen.

Apply it
 
What is something you struggle with that most people in our society agree is wrong…or perhaps not healthy?  Work on changing your thinking and behavior in relation to this struggle this week.  Be alert to choosing to be a peacemaker when you might have the right to disturb the peace.
 

Romans 12 Challenge - Week 5 - Verse 16

August 18-24

Romans 12:16

Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.   

Take the Romans 12 Challenge!

• Memorize the weekly verse(s)
• Pray the prayer every morning/evening
• Print the reminder card, post it somewhere visible, take it with you
• Every time you see the "12" of the Seahawks' 12th man flag, think about applying these thoughts to your life.
• Post a comment to this blog to share how God is transforming you for good!





copy & print for reminder card - black & white

copy & print for reminder card - color

Think about it

Live in harmony with one another. Harmony speaks of peaceful unity.  It is a byproduct of people demonstrating love in their actions.

Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.  The Greek here uses the word for thinking (phronein) three times, much like in verse 3, encouraging us to not think of ourselves too highly. 

 

Pray about it

Lord Jesus, you know how often rifts result from inflated thoughts of self-importance.  Give me humility that guards me from thinking I’m better than others, or that I have all the answers. Amen.

Apply it

Who is God calling you to live in harmony with today?  Whether it’s a family member, church member, or co-worker, think about how you could adjust your words and actions to smooth out the relationship.  Consider this adventure: Be on the lookout for someone who you might usually overlook because of their low status (as indicated by their job, clothes, car, etc).  Take the time to recognize them as an equal and find a way to hang out with them or appreciate them.

 

Romans 12 Challenge - Week 4 - Verses 14-15

August 11-17

Romans 12:14-15

¹⁴ Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. ¹⁵ Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.

    

Take the Romans 12 Challenge!

• Memorize the weekly verse(s)
• Pray the prayer every morning/evening
• Print the reminder card, post it somewhere visible, take it with you
• Every time you see the "12" of the Seahawks' 12th man flag, think about applying these thoughts to your life.
• Post a comment to this blog to share how God is transforming you for good!





copy & print for reminder card - black & white

copy & print for reminder card - color

Think about it

Bless those who persecute you. To be persecuted has the sense of someone hunting you down or targeting you.  Believers in Rome dealt with this on a daily basis.  Many believers in the world today are targeted for mistreatment because of their Christian beliefs or because of their Christian actions (such as providing hospitality to people despised by society).

 

Bless and do not curse.  It was socially acceptable to curse others who mistreated you.  This continues to be one of the “patterns of this world” that we should not conform to (Rom 12:2).

 

Rejoice with those who rejoice; Mourn with those who mourn. At first glance this seems to be an easy assignment, but this is not the case.  It requires selflessness sufficient for us to rejoice with others even when there is no personal benefit to us (how often we react to others celebrating their good news with a fake smile and a sarcastic “great!”), and weeping with those who have suffered even when things are going just fine for us (we often don’t want others’ struggles to bring us down).

 

Pray about it

God, when people mistreat me, stop them, please!  But also stop me from adding fuel to the fire with mean words meant to hurt.  Soften me to be sensitive to others’ feelings. Amen.

Apply it

 

How easy it is to slip into saying bad things about people behaving badly, especially when they’re making our lives miserable.  Think about the last time you slipped into it…how might you have blessed instead of cursed?  Pay special attention to how others are feeling emotionally – again, even those who treat you poorly.  How might you rejoice along with them, or mourn with them in their sorrow?

Romans 12 Challenge - Week 3 - Verse 13

August 4-10

Romans 12:13

¹³ Share with the Lord's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.     

 Take the Romans 12 Challenge!

• Memorize the weekly verse(s)
• Pray the prayer every morning/evening
• Print the reminder card, post it somewhere visible, take it with you
• Every time you see the "12" of the Seahawks' 12th man flag, think about applying these thoughts to your life.
• Post a comment to this blog to share how God is transforming you for good!



copy, print as reminder card - color

copy, print as reminder card - black & white

Think about it

Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. “Share” in Greek is related to koinonia, the word used to describe fellowship in the church.  Sharing what you have with others in the church is the defining character of Christian community.  This includes other members of your local church, but also in the global church, where the majority of the world’s Christians are materially poor.

Practice Hospitality. The Greek word for hospitality, philoxenia, literally means “love/kindness to strangers.” In biblical times home-based hospitality was relied upon by travelers, including Christian missionaries like the Apostle Paul.  To practice it means to pursue it, make it a leading priority.

 

Pray about it

Lord, show me what I have to share with others that will meet their needs – time, attention, use of possessions, money.  And then give me a willingness to offer these without need for repayment.  Fill me with kindness, even for strangers. Amen.

Apply it

Be alert to opportunities you have to share with those who are in need – both people in the church and in the society.  I wouldn’t be surprised if you already do some of this…what would it look like to be more proactive?  Does someone look like they’re in need?  Buy them lunch or a cup of coffee and find out their story.  Take the money you’d spend on yourself or your family and donate to a relief effort or the church food pantry.  Many of us host friends, relatives, and exchange students in our homes for brief stretches during the summer – think about this as Christian ministry!  And then go further to consider how your home or other possessions might continue to be shared.