A little Wisdom from Paul

In Romans 12 Paul is talking about dedicating your life to God. There is only 21 verses but it's really filled with a lot of wisdom. It opens talking about God's compassion and encourages us to be dedicated to God and pleasing to him.

Then it goes into talking about changing your way of thinking...determine what God really wants from you. What is His good, pleasing, and perfect will is for you.

In verse 3 Paul talks about the kindness that God has shown him, then he goes on to say; because of the kindness I was shown by God I ask you not think of yourselves more highly than you should. ( now for background reference Paul before Christ was a brilliant scholar and if he had thoughts of grandeur he was probably exceedingly justified in his thinking. HE was smart and he knew it! He had plans to rid the world of the ignorance of those who followed this Christ only to discover Christ himself and be totally humbled by the experience. ) So when Paul says because of the kindness that God has shown me he was really saying since God didn't strike me dead for my arrogance! He showed mercy on me how about you learn from me and not think better of yourselves than you actually are. Instead, take an honest look at yourselves and see what talents and abilities you have been given and go from there.

In this world we are all not Doctors, we are all not actors, not teachers, don't ever ask me to work on your car because I wouldn't have a clue. So truth is we are all given natural talents and abilities to become good successful and favoured in some area of life. Paul talks about the different parts of our body and how they don't all do the same things but they are all important... you know how that goes. You might not think yourself important because you are a thumb and you aren't as pretty as those four fingers you sit next to but if you were gone it would be a bad thing for your body. You fill in the blank of what part of your body that doesn't get much attention or praise but without it functioning you would be having problems (I'll have to go with my under appreciated Thyroid I never gave my Thyroid a fleeting thought before I got sick because it wasn't working right)! Anyway back to the topic at hand...here's what Paul is saying. Individually we all do our part to make up one working unit. We don't all do the same thing. We all have different gifts, talents and abilities. If your gift is speaking God's word, make sure what you say agrees with the Christian faith. If your gift is serving, then devote yourself to serving. If it's teaching, devote yourself to teaching. If it is encouraging others, devote yourself to giving encouragement. If it is sharing, be generous. If it is leadership, lead enthusiastically. If it is helping people in need, help cheerfully. I don't know how to express this enough – if you feel like you are called to do something do it with a happy heart!!!!!! Do all things without grumbling, faultfinding and complaining.

Love sincerely! This is important one! Don't say I love you and not sincerely mean it! Loving someone sincerely means you would give your life for that person.....so if it meant you or them you would say pick me let them live. Who do you sincerely love? I'm sure if you gauged it with this analogy your list shortened considerably.

I like verse 10 Be devoted to each other like a loving family. Excel in showing respect to each other. When the scripture says respect it doesn't mean oppression- that someone forces you to “respect” them. That isn't true respect! In a loving family or relationship you should never feel oppression – unjust or cruel exercise of authority or power. Which weighs you down in body or mind. In contrast in a family/relationship where there is love and respect there is freedom and joy and when found it's the biggest blessing you can ever, ever have in your life.

It goes on to say don't be lazy showing your devotion, that could be for both God and your family. Use your energy to serve the Lord.


Be happy in your confidence, be patient in trouble and pray continually. Share with those who are in need and be hospitable.

Here's a fun one which often isn't well liked...Bless those who cause you problems!

Be happy with those who are happy (don't you hate it when someone can never be happy for someone's blessings, why didn't I get that. Why do they deserve that. BLAH BLAH BLAH) Just be happy with those that are happy, be happy for them!
Be sad with those who are sad...

LIVE IN HARMONY WITH EACH OTHER. (I'll take a double dose of that please) We often talk about World peace but really are we doing our part to make our part of the world peaceful?? I'm not talking about big boy wars I'm talking about our daily lives are we choosing to make our world a peaceful one??

Next Paul talks about not being ARROGANT, but be friendly to humble people! We truly tend to be a people that wants to be better and do better than the next guy! I just think that tends to get us into a place where we are constantly striving to be better – BUT NOT IN A GOOD WAY! No matter how good you are, how rich you are, how smart you are etc., etc. - there is always someone else out there that is better than you so just learn to enjoy yourself and others for who they are. We really aren't better than anyone just different.

It winds up with don't pay back evil for evil. Focus on noble things, as much as possible live at peace with everyone. Don't seek revenge...let God do that. If your enemy is hungry feed him, if he is thirsty give him a drink...if you do this you will make him feel guilty and ashamed.

Don't let evil conquer you, but conquer evil with good. Not a bad little chapter in Romans. Really, if you consider yourself a follower of Christ or not this chapter is wisdom!!! Words to live by, it can only make you a better you. So I challenge you today to take something from this and apply it to your life. Try it, what can it hurt?!