Walk with me back through the scripture I shared yesterday as there are a few parts that I want to share in a different light. This is good stuff. It really is big stuff.
Romans 12:9-21 NLT
Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. 10 Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. 11 Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. 12 Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. 13 When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. 15 Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all! 17 Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. 18 Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. 19 Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord. 20 Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.” 21 Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.
Love others. Honor others. Celebrate with others. Be patient with others. Bless others. Cry with others. Be at peace with others. Do good with and to others. Serve others.
Lean in. God says, through Paul’s pen, that we must be confident (verse 12) and work hard (verse 11) in all that we do in relation to other people. That is not always easy because life tends to squeeze out our confidence, and there are times we plainly get tired and don’t want to work.
This passage goes on to say that the way we impact and deal with people ought be positive. Bless people when you have the opportunity to be anything but a blessing. Pray for those your encounter, the good and the bad.
Move a few verses ahead and see the note about paying others back for what they did. A life of honor will honor others. Not seeking revenge but a constant pointer to what is godly and even life changing. Look at the one who seems to be your enemy and give them what will make them a better person.
That is not easy. Be an influencer like a thermometer that sets the temperature of the room it is in. Don’t conform. Don’t stoop to the level of the one trying to pull you down.
To great influence others for Christ we have to have the mind and heart of Christ. Any other view is just wrong, short sighted, empty.
Yesterday I shared about how we see others and deal with them. Today I challenge us to take the negative we are offered and turn them in to positives because we choose to follow Jesus and see people as He sees and serves them!
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