Daily Lesson for February 8, 2018

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;10love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honour. 11Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer.13Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers. 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.15Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. 17Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. 18If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.19Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’20No, ‘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.’ 21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Now is a time for holding fast to what is good. 

There is now so much strife and uncertainty within our country and so much discord amongst our people. It is very easy now to give up on good. But Paul, writing in very tense times himself with his people persecuted and scattered and living in a time of grave uncertainty, reminds us this morning to hold on tight to the good.

So, now is the time for inviting the friends over for dinner.  It is the time for picking up the paper for elderly neighbors. It is the time for getting coffee with DREAMERS, and a fried chicken with the homeless. It is the time to write notes for the purpose of sympathy. It is the time to write notes for the purpose of congratulations. It is the time to take off for the funeral. It is the time to dance in the kitchen. It is the time to show up for the community meeting. It is the time to laugh. It is the time to pray. It is the time organize. It is the time to speak the truth in love.  It is the time to listen to the other person’s truth in love. It is the time to change and be changed.

Now is the time for resisting hate. And the hatred that we most have to resist is the hatred which is inside us — the hatred that would rob us of our love and lead us into the temptation of despair.

“Do not be overcome by evil,” Paul says, “but overcome evil with good.”  We were made for goodness. We must hold tight to it now and be sure that nobody takes it. Goodness is ours to keep; we must keep it very, very close.