We are continuing our current Bible study series, working through the Book of Romans with HelloMornings. Let's dig into Day 22!
The passage of Scripture we're reading today is Romans 15: 1 - 7 ...
15 Now we who are strong have an obligation to bear the weaknesses of those without strength, and not to please ourselves. 2 Each one of us must please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. 3 For even the Messiah did not please Himself. On the contrary, as it is written, The insults of those who insult You have fallen on Me. 4 For whatever was written in the past was written for our instruction, so that we may have hope through endurance and through the encouragement from the Scriptures. 5 Now may the God who gives endurance and encouragement allow you to live in harmony with one another, according to the command of Christ Jesus, 6 so that you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ with a united mind and voice.
7 Therefore accept one another, just as the Messiah also accepted you, to the glory of God.
Verse 7 sums up Paul's thoughts from today's Bible text: "Therefore accept one another, just as the Messiah also accepted you, to the glory of God."
It can seem so difficult to put our own wants or opinions - and even more difficult to put someone else's desires above our own!
But this exactly what Paul is asking his readers to do. Just as Jesus modeled a lifestyle of sacrifice for His disciples, so we should model our love for our Christian brothers and sisters by showing patience and kindness to one another in the midst of our differences.
In the devotional that accompanies today’s Bible reading, Jaime Hilton says a very profound thing regarding unity and disagreements in the church: "So much of what we think we need is actually based on convenience and personal preference."