By Pastor Greg
After serving a group of Christians their lunch one Sunday afternoon, a waitress received this note printed on the merchant's copy of the bill. Because of the size of the party, the suggested tip was 18%. This believer noted that he gave God 10%, and wondered why this waitress should receive more than God. He crossed out the tip, marked it as zero, then made sure he signed the bill as Pastor. Tell me again why the people of this world are rejecting Christianity?
In a world dominated by selfishness, pride, greed, and arrogance, the church has an excellent opportunity to stand out by standing apart from these behaviors. The church has an opportunity to reach people, not just by our words, but by our deeds as well; especially when those deeds are bathed in love.
As we have been looking at Paul's letter to the Roman Christians, we have been looking at various ways a believer should respond to all that God has done for us. Pointing back to verse 1 of chapter 12, Paul continues to teach what a transformed believer should look like. As we have seen, a believer is transformed in the way they see God and in the way they see others. A transformed believer is respectful toward other people, regardless of their status in life. And here, at the end of Romans 13 he says that we are to be transformed into a person who loves others; who looks at the people of this world through the eyes of God. This is a very important text. Our transformation extends beyond our attitude and actions directed toward God, but also in our attitudes and actions directed toward other people as well (read Romans 13:8-14).
Neighbor literally means the second man. We are to love them just as we love ourselves. One has to wonder if the person who has a hard time loving others also has a hard time loving themselves. If that is true, it should change the way we respond to those who hate us. A transformed believer will have the ability to love even those who hate them; not because they are indifferent or oblivious to the hate and animosity, but because they can see past the hate and instead see the person within. As transformed believers, we see their pain. We see their sadness and loneliness. A transformed believer overcomes evil by doing good, but also by choosing love over anger or hate. And what does this love look like? It's not a feeling but a choice to treat others as we want to be treated. It's choosing to recognize the value of another person. It's realizing that they will make mistakes just as we make mistakes. It's choosing to offer the same forgiveness we would want for ourselves. It's treating others with the same dignity we desire. It's looking past our own selfish needs and desires, and instead considering the feelings and the needs of the "second man". Laws cannot change the heart; man’s heart is still selfish and can be changed only by the grace of God. When we practice love, there is no need for any other laws, because love covers it all!
It is important that we allow love to be seen and heard through us because time is running out. Paul not only calls his readers to wake up for their own sake, but for the sake of those still living in darkness. Since the night is almost over, a believer needs to become even more transformed. Like the Roman Christians, we too live in a world that believes in Christ not because of what we say, but because of the way we live. This is why Paul says we are to live decent lives for all to see (verse 13 in the NLT). Think about how different it would be if the people of a church would stop being suspicious of one another. Think of how different it would be for a person of the world to step into a church where there is love; where the people make allowances for one another's mistakes, where selfishness and greed have been replaced with kindness and courtesy and genuine concern for the welfare of others. Think of the difference it would make in this world if the Christian were to live differently than the world.
I understand that this pastor does not represent ALL Christians. And I have also come to understand that there is no law that can change the heart of someone like this (although we can confront them for their obvious disregard for others). However, even though I can't change the heart of someone else, I can do something about my own heart. You can do something about your own heart. You can make the choice to live a life guided by love; a genuine love that does no wrong to neighbor or friend; a life free from selfish ambition or empty conceit (Philippians 2:3). And if we, as a body of believers, can accomplish this together, the world will know that at least in this place and among those gathered in this building, there is love for one another. And together our light will shine in this darkness, and it will not be overcome.
Questions:
Many of us probably realize that we don’t treat others the way we should, and that we don’t love others as we should. We know we need to demonstrate the love of Christ in this world, especially toward those who need it the most. We know that our attitude needs to change, and yet that transformation never seems to happen. What is a Christian to do? How can we learn to love others as we love ourselves?
The answer to these questions will not be found within ourselves. The ability to love others comes not from within, but from above. Paul says that it comes from putting on the Lord Jesus Christ. It comes when we allow our minds to be renewed by the power of God’s Holy Spirit. He is the one who transforms us into the type of person that looks upon others with love.
Christian, here is your answer. If you desire to love others in the way God has commanded, you need to realize that it will come by admitting you can’t, believing that through the Lord, you can, and asking the Lord to transform you into a person who can.
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