Good morning,
We are approaching the end of the letter to the church in Rome. These last two chapter give us a recap of all that Paul believes is important in living our faith. Basic, simple instruction: be good and help people around you as lived by Jesus.
Paul makes clear, our lives are not meant to be easy, but full. Full of caring, helping, engaging in the work that Jesus did during his life. Sometimes we focus on the miracles so much that we forget how often he simple talk to people about God.
15 1-2 Those of us who are strong and able in the faith need to step in and lend a hand to those who falter, and not just do what is most convenient for us. Strength is for service, not status. Each one of us needs to look after the good of the people around us, asking ourselves, “How can I help?”
3-6 That’s exactly what Jesus did. He didn’t make it easy for himself by avoiding people’s troubles, but waded right in and helped out. “I took on the troubles of the troubled,” is the way Scripture puts it. Even if it was written in Scripture long ago, you can be sure it’s written for us. God wants the combination of his steady, constant calling and warm, personal counsel in Scripture to come to characterize us, keeping us alert for whatever he will do next. May our dependably steady and warmly personal God develop maturity in you so that you get along with each other as well as Jesus gets along with us all. Then we’ll be a choir—not our voices only, but our very lives singing in harmony in a stunning anthem to the God and Father of our Master Jesus!
So, Paul has given us our instruction for the day. Live in understanding and love with those around us. Simple, basic, and yet such a challenge.
Peace,
Mary