Outdo one another in showing love
Romans 12:9-13
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 honour. 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.
Reading the second half of Romans 12 is like trying to drink from a fire hose – the ideas come so fast it is hard to breathe, let alone think about what they invite us to do and to be. So we are looking at a short segment of chapter.
Love in this passage is very practical, having little to do with emotions. We are going to go at the passage backwards.
Show hospitality to strangers. This is love, love to people we do not know. Showing welcome to the stranger, the outsider. In a community (Fergus) with new arrivals coming in every day, we have lots of opportunity to show hospitality to those we do not know.
Contribute to the needs of the saints. Yes, there are those among us who have few of this world’s resources. Helping to provide for their needs financially is a sign of love. As well, there are those who do not need our money, rather they need our time, our connecting with them, our offering to do things for them. This too is contributing to the needs of the saints.
Jumping back to vs. 10 – we are called to show this practical love in a way that respects the honour and dignity of the other, for they too are made in the image of God as we are. We show them care and compassion in the same manner and attitude that we would hope others would show us care and compassion.
And then to verse 11 – showing love this way is very hard work, it is draining. We are invited to not wear out, but to keep on serving, to keep on going, for in showing such love we are serving Jesus Christ.
The love Jesus calls us to is practical, hands on caring.
PRAYER:
O Lord, shape us to be people who show welcome and hospitality to strangers. Form us into people who are willing to help those who are in need of our financial support or our time. Give us the strength and energy to keep on serving in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen.