Romans 12:1-8 (NRSV)
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Chapter 12I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Verse 2Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God-what is good and acceptable and perfect. Verse 3For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. Verse 4For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, Verse 5so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. Verse 6We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; Verse 7ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; Verse 8the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness.
Devotion
Theologian Karl Barth envisioned a Christian as one who walks with a Bible in one hand and a newspaper in the other. Paul teaches don’t be conformed to the world, but transformed by mental renewal, discerning what is good, acceptable, and perfect.
Paul’s mention of being “perfect” could pull us into a complex discussion of grace and humility, community order and gifts! But at least for this day, let’s envision God’s grace as alive in our world, rather than living with anxiety over sin.
Just dream! What if on a Sunday morning we would simply gather to read a local newspaper together and think of one or two concrete things we could do as members that would be our church’s weekly work in the world. Lift up that broken home? Speak for those oppressed? Teach and exhort wise truth? Cheerfully root for the best by grace? What a wonderful world that would be—focused outside our walls.
Prayer
Lord of all without favorites, we are gifted beyond our hopes and dreams to do your will. Help us to humbly unite under the Cross as one body, members of one another. Amen.