Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves…. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
Romans 12:10, 12:16

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Living with other people, trying to live in harmony, and practicing love and kindness is not always easy. In fact, it is often very challenging and painful. But it is better than habitual selfishness, putting yourself first at the expense of other people, and walking around like you are someone the world should appreciate more.

Today’s Scripture quote is from a long letter the Apostle Paul wrote to the believers in Rome on his way, he hoped, to the mission field that we know as Spain. Commonly known as the book of Romans, in chapter 12, Paul is encouraging the believers to use their spiritual gifts and qualities to serve fellow believers, urging them to live beyond immediate self-interest in service and even enjoyment of others. This is a form of spiritual friendship. As Timothy Keller observed, “[Spiritual friendship] is eagerly helping one another to know, serve, love, and resemble God in deeper and deeper ways.”

Some of my best growth in the character and qualities of Jesus—love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, etc. (see Galatians 5:16-26) is due to befriending others at church, work, and elsewhere who were not my usual choice in friendship. That openness has grown me and deepened my empathy. As I have learned a lot from others, they have shared they have learned from me as well.  The Church grows in resilience, influence, and even by numbers when the followers of Jesus live in this way of pragmatic love, also known as friendship. And in this era, the world desperately needs a loving, resilient Body of Christ—we all do.       

Next Steps

Talk with God about this. Who might He introduce you to or have your lives intersect that would benefit from your kindness and attention to them?

Pray to practice openness to the needs of others in order to serve the person in some way, including just praying for them.