devo

One Another

/ Kelli Jordan / Leave a comment

In Scripture, there is a single Greek word that is translated into our two-word phrase, “one another.” It is allēlōn (a-lay-lone), and it is used to describe people in a relationship with each other.

Throughout Scripture, we see followers of Jesus living and working together. Many are people with nothing else in common other than the fact that they have been transformed by the love and life of Jesus. Taking a closer look at some of the “one another” commands will help us see how God wants us to live in community. Let’s look at five of these allēlōn statements. Read the Scripture listed and consider the following question and statements for each:

  • How can you practically live out the instructions given on your leadership team and in your group?
  • Take a moment to express gratitude for those who have shown you how to live this out in community.
  • Take a moment to privately confess if there is a shortfall in your life in this area.

Love one another. 

  • John 13:34 — A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
  • 1 John 4:12 — No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

Serve One Another.

  • Galatians 5:13 — You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.

Forgive one another. 

  • Ephesians 4:32— Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Honor one another.

  • Romans 12:10 — Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.

Pray for One Another.

  • James 5:16 — Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

First Thessalonians 5:11 says, “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” Let’s be women focused on consistently building each other up — whether through simple words of encouragement, living well in our community or having hard conversations.

Consider This:

  • How can you encourage someone today?

Not a Supermom

/ Kelli Jordan / Leave a comment

Life can sneak up on us, and before we know it,  we are carrying a burden that is far heavier than we are intended to carry. We grab hold of the “supermom” mindset that says I can (and should) be able to carry it all, no matter the weight. In Matthew 11:29-30 (NIV), Jesus said, Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

The thing about a yoke (that wooden crosspiece that is fastened over the necks of two animals and keeps them working together) is that it doesn’t take the burden away completely, but it makes it lighter to carry because the weight is shared. We get weighed down by others’ expectations, our fears and our past mistakes, but when we take on Jesus’ yoke, the weight shifts, and he carries most of it.

We may still be surrounded by the things that weighed us down in the first place. We may still hear the haughty and demeaning voices of the world, but we can shift the weight and understand who we are because of who God is. We’re already loved and loveable. Understanding this changes the way we parent, how we treat ourselves and how we respond to others.

Trading our heavy burden for Jesus’ light one requires some work on our part. It’s not about earning love, because God’s love isn’t based on what we do. Nothing we do can make him love us more or less. But we should put our effort into learning more about Jesus, taking time to monitor the voices we allow to speak into our lives and doing the work to free ourselves from old patterns of thinking or habits that hold us captive. If our goal is perfection and claiming the “supermom” title, then the outcome will always be frustration. We don’t have to be “super” anything because we are God’s beloved children. Children who don’t have to earn or hustle for our worth. Children who just need to shift the weight and find rest.

Let’s stop settling for what simply gets us by and do the work to get to what’s best. Let’s stop trying to carry all the weight alone, because we were never designed to do that. Trying to do things on our own doesn’t make us “super”— it just makes us tired. Take Jesus’ yoke and learn from him; allow his love to change the way you feel and talk about yourself.

Consider this:

  • What is weighing you down?
  • What is your first step toward shifting some of that weight onto Jesus’ shoulders?

The Work We Do

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God has called you to something. There is something that moves you, that keeps you up atnight, or that makes you jump off the couch – something that you cannot help but speak up about. You may look at the work and think you can’t possibly do it, but God promises that if you will dive in and get to work, he will make sure you have what you need.

Let’s look at some examples of people doing work they were purposed to do.

Deborah was many things: judge, counselor, mediator, leader, prophetess and song writer. She was not afraid to do the work even when it meant she had to speak honestly to people in power about things they might not like. In Judges 4, Deborah told Barak that God had work for him to do. She pushed him and got him moving, but then she stepped out and let him complete that which was his to complete. Deborah led from a place of reliance on God and people looked to her for guidance because of her faithfulness and grit. Deborah was determined.

Nehemiah was so moved by the disrepair of the wall around his home country that he found funding, support and workers to rebuild it. They faced mockery and physical threats from people who opposed the work, so much so that they had to split the workforce; half would build while half stood guard. Nehemiah 4:6 says, “The people worked with all their heart,” and they kept working until the wall was done, but even then, Nehemiah kept working. Nehemiah 5 ends with, “Remember me with favor, my God, for all I have done for these people.” Nehemiah worked faithfully.

Esther found herself in what we see as an incredibly odd wife-search for the king. While she had no choice in her circumstance, she did have a choice about how much of her own history she would share. At first, she was ready to remain silent, but Mordecai sent a message admonishing her: For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this? (Esther 4:13-14 (NIV). She hesitated at first, but eventually Esther walked in to face the most powerful man in her world, the king, in order to protect her people. Esther worked bravely.

Moses was working so hard leading the Israelites that he was exhausted. He was pulled in so many directions that he was not doing any of his work very well. In Exodus 18:17-23, God sent his father-in-law to help think through a better way to do his work. Moses’ father-in-law replied, “What you are doing is not good. You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone … select capable men from all the people … That will make your load lighter, because they will share it with you.” (NIV) We see him start to delegate. Moses worked smarter.

We see David as a young man, facing down a giant with tools that one would not usually consider for such a job, but he used what he knew. Later, we see David shirk his responsibility as king. While his armies are off fighting, he stays home and his idleness draws him into infidelity and a horrible attempt at a cover-up. But as we follow David’s story, we see how he did the work he needed to do as he sought God’s forgiveness.

In Psalm 51, David says: “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love … Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight … Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.” David worked broken, but forgiven.

In Zechariah, we see the Israelites rebuilding the temple. “So he said to me, ‘This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty. What are you, mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground. Then he will bring out the capstone to shouts of ‘God bless it! God bless it!’” Then the word of the Lord came to me: “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple; his hands will also complete it. Then you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you. “Who dares despise the day of small things, since the seven eyes of the Lord that range throughout the earth will rejoice when they see the chosen capstone] in the hand of Zerubbabel?” – Zechariah 4:6-10 (NIV)

Zerubbabel was discouraged, but was reminded that God would keep his promises and would finish what he’d started through Zerubbabel. He worked inspired.

God has placed some good kingdom-building work in your heart. What he has laid before you may be completely different than what he laid before your mom, your sister, or the woman next door, but he has opened opportunities to YOU for YOUR work. He did not place us where he has just so we could have some fun and post some pics on Instagram. Every experience, every obstacle, every great opportunity, has been laid out to prepare you for the work he has for you.

How are you working? Would you describe it as determined, faithful, brave, smart, inspired or joyful? Or would you use an equally positive adjective?

A Prayer for Revival

/ Kelli Jordan / Leave a comment

A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet. On shigionoth.
Lord, I have heard of your fame;
    I stand in awe of your deeds, Lord.
Repeat them in our day, in our time make them known;
    in wrath remember mercy. Habakkuk 3:1-2 NIV

The prophet Habakkuk’s prayer at the beginning of Habakkuk 3 is a heartfelt prayer for revival. The strange word “shigionoth” indicates that this prayer was originally set to music. At this time, God’s people had forgotten all he had done for them. They were careless in their obedience and distracted by ungodly things all around them. Habakkuk knew the people needed to be reminded and have their commitment rekindled.

Do you ever feel that way?

Habakkuk started by acknowledging the Lord and pointing out God’s deeds. He described himself as being “in awe” of what God had done in the past.  He knew where revival would come from – and that it was not going to come from anything he did. Revival isn’t about what we say or do, even if we are saying good or right things. Revival is about what only God can do. And it begins when the believer stops, recognizes the power of God and stands in awe of God’s work.

Part of Habakkuk’s prayer says, “Repeat them in our day, in our time make them known (NIV).” In the King James Version, it says, “Revive thy work in the midst of the years.” Revival means for something to become popular, active, or important again. The prophet was asking God to show the people his power again, right now, today. He knew how God once worked and how his people once responded, and Habakkuk wanted to see that again. He knew how desperate the people were for God, even if they didn’t see it yet. Not because God had stopped being powerful in the past, but because the people had stopped paying attention. Habakkuk longed for God to do a work that was evident to everyone as a work of God.
In Habakkuk, God had been punishing the Chaldeans and his own people, but Habakkuk prayed God would reveal his mercy, instead of giving the people exactly what they deserved.

God is sovereign, but he is willing to listen to the prayers of his people. He tells us that the prayers of a righteous man avails much (James 5:16), and in 2 Chronicles 7:14, we are told, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land (NIV).”

This is a blueprint for how we should pray for revival today. Stop, acknowledge God’s greatness and our need for him, ask him to make himself known to the people, and show his power and mercy.

What’s In A Name?

/ Kelli Jordan / Leave a comment

I use endearing names a lot: for my husband, my children, my grandkids. My most common name would be “Sweetie,” and I use it for anyone. I call my husband “Hon” and my grandkids are Sweetpea, Peanut, Bug and Bo.

Why do we use nicknames? To be honest, sometimes it’s because we can’t remember someone’s real name. Or we want to show respect for someone, like when we call someone the G.O.A.T. (Greatest of all Time). But usually, it’s because we really like the person we are naming. We know their real name, but these affectionate endearments remind them how special they are to us.

In the Bible, we find quite a few terms of endearment God uses for us.

FRIEND: A friend believes the best in us and brings out the best in us. John 15:15 NIV says, “Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” He is the perfect kind of friend. He knows exactly what we need. His timing is perfect.

MASTERPIECE: God thinks we are beautiful, in a way no one else is. Ephesians 2:10 ESV says, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, so that we would walk in them.” The word translated “handiwork” could easily be translated to “work of art” or “masterpiece.” That is what God thinks when he looks at us, and he has already prepared good things for us.

TREASURE: I have two treasured physical possessions – my mom’s Bible and a necklace from my husband. These things may not mean anything to anyone else, but they mean a lot to me. In Deuteronomy 7:6 NIV, God says: “For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession.” God wrote this about the Israelites, and about us. He treasures us.

SONS AND DAUGHTERS: God wants an intimate relationship with us. 2 Corinthians 6:18 NIV says, “I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.” He is a good Father to us – one who provides, protects and supports his children. He knows what we need and doesn’t withhold any good thing from us (Psalm 84:11).

DELIGHTFUL: When was the last time someone called you delightful? Zephaniah 3:17 NIV, says, “The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.” Psalm 18:19 NIV says, “He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.” Think of the delightful things your child does. God feels the same way about you. He looks at you, grins at you, admires your artwork (even if he can’t figure out what you drew), and he laughs at your jokes – the same way you do with those little ones (or big ones) you love.

There is great power in the names God calls us. Remember those names.

Consider this: What names are you calling yourself that you need to replace with one of the names God uses for you?

    It’s the Small Things

    / Kelli Jordan / Leave a comment

    In chapter 4 of Zechariah, Zerubbabel was working on rebuilding the temple. (Yep, that was his real name!) Up until this point in history, Solomon’s Temple stood in the city of Jerusalem. It was the pride of the Jewish nation. People traveled great distances just to see it. It was the Empire State Building, the Eiffel Tower and the Taj Mahal of its day. But to the Jewish nation, it was much more than just a grand building, it was their center of worship. Eventually, this gorgeous temple was destroyed by King Nebuchadnezzar’s armies. After years of captivity, a new king came along and allowed some Jewish leaders to return to Jerusalem and begin the work of rebuilding the temple and the city. Work on the new temple was progressing, but the people were frustrated because this temple was not as grand as the first one, and the work was progressing slowly. Zerubbabel was leading the work and was faced with political conflicts. They were surrounded by nations that wanted him and the entire Jewish nation to fail.

    For 16 years, work on the temple stopped. The surrounding nations felt like they had won; Zerubbabel and the others in charge of the project felt like failures. Most of the citizens had given up hope that it would ever be accomplished and had gone on to do other things.

    But one day, the word of the Lord came to a man of God named Zechariah. At that time, that’s how God spoke to the people. He would send a trusted prophet with a message. Zechariah said to Zerubbabel, This is what the Lord says to Zerubbabel: It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. (Zechariah 4:6 NLT)

    Zechariah reminded Zerubbabel that this whole project had very little to do with him, but had everything to do with God and what God wanted to happen.

    Zechariah goes on to say, “Do not despise these small beginnings. For the Lord rejoices to see the work begin.” (Zechariah 4:10 NLT) The surrounding cities despised what was happening, some Jewish citizens despised it because it wasn’t as good as Solomon’s temple, and others despised it because it was taking too long. But the Lord was rejoicing over the work that had begun there – and he was promising that the work would be completed.

    How often do we follow the example of this Jewish nation? How often do we get discouraged because we are comparing what we have to what someone else had before? How often do we let things less important than the work at hand distract us? How often do we think that bigger is better? How often do we give in to the belief that fast and furious is so much better than slow and steady?

    But think about it, most of the things we do in life are made of small steps. Just about everything starts small – babies, buildings, cities, churches, families, relationships. Without the small steps, there would never be big things. God works in the small things. We just don’t always see him there because we are looking for bigger and better.

    This story about building the temple is mentioned in seven different places in scripture (Ezra, Nehemiah, Haggai, Zechariah, 2 Chronicles, Isaiah and Daniel). It was a small temple being built by a small group of easily distracted people, but it ended up being a really big deal.

    God rejoices over small steps, and so should we. When we do, we may see later that the small things were actually big things.

    Consider this:

    1. What small thing are you involved in?
    2. What do you think God may be doing through it now?
    3. How can you better embrace the small thing in front of you?

    A Little Town

    / Kelli Jordan / Leave a comment

    O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie. 
    Above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by. 
    Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting light. 
    The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight. 

    The Christmas carol “O Little Town of Bethlehem” paints the picture of a sleepy, unassuming town filled with people who didn’t have any idea that a young woman visiting their town was about to have a baby. They had no idea of the hope entering the world through Jesus. They were right there as God entered the world as a human being, but few of them knew how big this small moment was going to be.  

    You and I look at the birth of Jesus as the most remarkably important moment in history – and it is. Most of us have celebrated the day every year for our entire lives. For the people living in Bethlehem at the time, it was just an ordinary day. But this is the location God chose to bring the Gospel to life. It happened in a quiet, simple way amidst very normal circumstances. The shepherds witnessed an angelic chorus and invitation, but God didn’t use that same kind of fanfare to announce Jesus’ presence to the rest of the world.  

    The simplicity of Jesus’ birth is an example of how God works in our world – through the small, simple, sometimes mundane things. And throughout his life, Jesus continually used small, simple things to describe what he was doing here – and what he planned to do in the future.  

    What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? It is like a grain of mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his garden; and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches. To what shall I compare the kingdom of God? It is like leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened. (Luke 13:18-19 ESV) 

    A grain of mustard seed, a pinch of leaven, a baby born in a little, sleepy town – things that start small often become something big.  

    This Christmas carol beautifully describes this town resting on a quiet night, but it also encourages us to think beyond the geography and look at the significance of the event. That is a good idea for each of us during this season. Look beyond our geography, our schedule, our to-do list, and focus on the thing that looked so small but actually changed the world – changed me and could change you.  

    O morning stars together, proclaim thy holy birth. 
    And praises sing to God the King, and peace to men on earth. 

    Because He Lives

    / Kelli Jordan / Leave a comment

    In the early 1970s, Bill and Gloria Gaither wrote a song titled “Because He Lives.”

    Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.

    Because He lives, all fear is gone.

    Because I know He holds the future,

    And life is worth the living just because He lives.

    While the song doesn’t quote scripture, it’s theme is found throughout the Bible: Romans 5:7, John 14:19, Philippians 3:10-11, and 1 Corinthians 15:20-22, to name a few.

    I grew up listening to this song – and pretty much every other song the Gaithers ever sang. Near the end of his life, my grandpa had a stroke that stole his ability to remember names and events, and it eventually took his ability to speak. He was aware of things going on around him and interacted with others, but he didn’t talk anymore.

    Every now and then a young man named Gus would bring his guitar and sing hymns at Grandpa’s care center. Grandpa loved to listen and would usually tap his foot or nod his head to the beat, but one day Gus was singing, “Because He Lives” and he realized that my grandpa was singing along. He knew every word to every verse.

    Hearing the music sparked a moment of remembrance for my grandpa.

    Grandpa became a Christian as a teenager and spent his adult life reading, studying, teaching and telling others about how his life was different because Jesus lives. That act of remembering and sharing what Jesus had done for him – what He did for all of us – became a habit deeply ingrained in who he was.

    For believers, lent (the 40 days leading up to Easter) is a long season where we pause to remember who we are, who God is, and what Jesus has done.

    But it doesn’t stop at remembering. It is a season of repentance because we are taking the time to honestly consider who we are in light of what Jesus has done for us. Repentance is the act of turning from what is wrong and starting over with what is right. It means we both rethink our actions AND physically turn from sin. What’s important to remember is that there is a third component of repentance, and that is remembering that it is by the grace and strength of Jesus that we are able to repent at all. We can neither rethink nor turn around without Him. In turning away from our sin, we are returning to our starting point: Jesus – once again allowing Him to be our Way to restoration and life. But, it is never to bring shame. It is to lead us into wholeness. In the midst of realizing our great need for a Savior, we are reminded of the restoration and hope Jesus offers.

    Lent reminds us that we are invited to come confidently before God and that we can trust completely in the work of Jesus Christ on our behalf. It is an invitation to start over and hold tightly to the truth of Jesus, setting aside the things that get in the way of our relationship with Jesus. It is a moment of refreshing – refreshing our commitment and our hope.

    Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord. Acts 3:19 (NIV)

    Remember. Repent. Restore. Refresh.

    Do not miss the opportunity to embrace this moment of remembrance. All Because He Lives.

    Carrying a Corner of the Mat

    / Kelli Jordan / 1 Comment

    Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus.  When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.  When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”

    The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, “Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

    Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, “We have seen remarkable things today.” – Luke 5:18-20 (NIV)

    “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”

    There is tenderness in the way Jesus greeted this paralyzed man who had literally been dropped in front of him. The man was a sinner. That is clear because one of the things Jesus did was forgive his sin. In the Jewish mindset of that day, physical abnormalities and sickness were believed to be the judgment of God for the serious sin of the person or his family.  Most likely the paralytic had been carrying the weight and guilt of that for years.  But, yet, here he was, laying helpless in front of Jesus, the holiest man who ever lived. Jesus looked at him and called him, “Friend.” 

    Jesus didn’t ask, “What are you doing here? How did you get here? Don’t you know you interrupted me? What do you want?” Anyone could see that the man was paralyzed. What no one else could see was the condition of the man’s heart. But Jesus started there. The religious leaders in the room immediately took offense – as they tended to do – and said, “Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” Jesus went on to prove he could heal the man’s visible, physical ailment, but he made it clear that the most important thing, that only he could do, was to free him from sin. He does that for us, too, going right to the root of the problem.

     “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.”

    When Jesus said, “Take up your mat,” the man did it. He didn’t spend time telling Jesus all the reasons why he couldn’t. He attempted something that had been impossible before and stood up. Jesus didn’t pick up the man’s mat, or ask his friends to help him out. He told him to pick up his own mat, and he gave him the necessary strength in his arms and his legs to do it.  

    He does that for us, too. If he tells us to take a step, he promises to give us all the strength we need to take it. You may be thinking, “I need to confront an issue with my husband or my kids, or I need to go to counseling, or I need to share my faith with this person.” And then you start thinking, “But, but, but, what if…” Let this paralyzed man be your inspiration. Jesus told him what to do, and the man did it – knowing the full power of Jesus was supporting him. 

    When Jesus saw their faith…

    The wording at the beginning of verse 5 is significant. Jesus saw the faith of the paralyzed man, but he also saw the faith of his four friends.  God honors the faith of those who are willing to carry the weight of another. Some friends would have given up. They would have said, “Maybe next time,” or “We’ll try again next week.”

    But these weren’t just any friends. They knew their friend needed Jesus now. They weren’t concerned about the status of the people in the room with him and they weren’t going to let a little crowd or a roof get in their way.

    We live in a world where people are hurting – paralyzed by fear, guilt, shame, sin. They need someone to carry them to Jesus, just like someone carried us.

    “We have seen remarkable things today.”

    The people understood that they had witnessed a miracle. They didn’t get distracted by the mess or the noise or the interruption. They saw the goodness of God played out in front of their very eyes. That man’s story became the story they used to tell their friends and family about the power of Jesus. We’re still using it in that same way today! What remarkable thing is God doing in your life today, and who do you need to tell about it?  

    What does it look like today to carry the corner of a friend’s mat?

    When Jesus spoke about spiritual things, he looked for common ground on which to relate. If we are creative and willing, like these four friends in our story, we can get through anything to get our friends to Jesus.

    In Acts, we see that early Christians got the attention of the world and turned it upside down as they shared Jesus with others.  They lived in difficult circumstances, hard socio-economic times and in an unfriendly political climate (sound familiar?), but they didn’t take that as meaning that it was a bad time to talk about Jesus.

    Start with these things:

    • Pray for them.
    • Value them the way Jesus valued them. (Remember, he died for them.)
    • Get to know them and find your common ground. (Even if you don’t agree or understand everything about them.)
    • Answer their questions.
    • Love them in a way that reflects Jesus.
    • Never give up.

    We may get tired or frustrated along the way, but God honors the faith of those who bring their friends to the feet Jesus.  

    Are you actively engaged right now in carrying a corner of the mat of a hurting friend who needs Jesus?

    (Originally published in the MOPS Magazine, February 2023 Leader Issue)

    Be Unoffendable

    / Kelli Jordan / Leave a comment

                    If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Romans 12:18

    Did Paul really mean we should live at peace with everyone? Yes! As much as possible and as far as it depends on us.  Paul is not saying to just roll over and allow other people to walk all over you, or take advantage of you. Ultimately, the way we handle conflict says a lot about how we feel about God and the people he created. 

    As far as it depends on you …

    There are not a lot of things we can control in life. Other people are definitely not one of those things. Paul was talking to believers living under Roman oppression and encouraging them to live their lives like Jesus did, at peace with each other – even when it’s hard.  He knew how hard it was to live at peace. He had people following him around constantly arguing and contradicting him.

    Live at peace with everyone.

    But what about when someone hurts our feelings? The verses before and after Romans 12:18 state:

    Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord (Romans 12:17-19).

    When we are tempted to hurt someone because they hurt us, or when we work to make things “fair,” it is the opposite of establishing peace.  Let’s be honest, when we are in the midst of an argument, very often our desire is to be right. We want to fight and talk until the other admits that we were right all along. It is possible to disagree with others on some issues and still be friends. It is not my place to change someone else’s opinion. And, most of the time, I’m not going to be able to do it anyway. But we can encourage peace with our words, actions and even just the tone of our voice. We must be willing to admit our wrongs, apologize, make things right, and forgive. Our own ego, pride, and prejudices should never get in the way of loving others like Jesus does.

    Our job is to love people and give them a chance to see Jesus at work in our life. Only God can change another person’s life, and they are rarely argued into the Kingdom. Once I realize where my responsibility lies in the promise of loving and living peacefully with others, it empowers me to love them the way Jesus wants me to.