Today's Daily Lesson comes from Romans chapter 12 verses 9 through 21:
9 Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; 10 love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. 18 If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 No, “if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Shane Claiborne once said it's easier to say what Christians believe than how they live.
Today Paul gives us the basics in Christian living -- how Christians are to live at all times, everywhere. He gives us the basic practices which we are called to live out in faith, hope, and love.
It is hard to overstake how difficult it must have been for some of those who were first reading Paul's letter to accept what he was saying. Persecuted severely and tempted towards all kinds of hate and vengeance, Paul's words admonished them to "not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." Perhaps, if it had come from anyone else, the letter would have been rejected, but it came from Paul -- no stranger himself to being spitefully abused. The had to take it seriously.
We are called to love all, and hate only evil. We are called to hope, not surrendering to despair. We are called to the harmony which comes by humility, not trying to be more clever than we ought. We are called to nobility. We are called to service. We are called to the tending to the needs of the saints, and the welcoming of strangers, and the love of even enemies. Above all, we are called to goodness. For goodness is the Spirit's weapon against all evil.
As Christians this is how we are to live. And we live this way because this is the way our Lord lived. It's the way he died. And it's the way he rose again.
This is the way the good of this earth shall rise again.
And the world will call us blessed.
NOTE: We are reading the whole Bible through this year. Tomorrow we will finish the book of Romans, chapters 14-16.
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