Just about every dad wants his kids to get along.
Regardless of the kids’ ages, it brings a sense of calm satisifaction to the father when he sees his children viewing one another as allies rather than enemies.
I’ve seen plenty of examples of the above and it’s pleasing to the soul.
Of course, I’ve seen heartbroken fathers whose kids can’t stand each other and that is so burdening to the soul.
God is a Daddy, of course. In fact, Jesus called Him Abba Father.
God wants His kids to get along, viewing one another as allies rather than enemies.
Is this how you and I view everyone in our congregations? Or are there people whom we avoid because we don’t like their personality style or their popularity or their abilities to do certain things better than us?
We might not be gossiping about them, but we also are not embracing or encouraging them.
We are not treating them like family. And we’re certainly not treating them as friends.
What does God think about this kind of attitude?
“Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God” (Romans 15:7).
These words from the Apostle Paul were not given as an option for faith, but instead as a command.
As you do a quick inventory of your relationships with other adults in your congregation, do you have a 100 percent compliance ratio to Romans 15:7?
Be honest.
Or are there some people in your flock that you avoid for whatever reason?
Listen, Paul’s instruction doesn’t require us to imitate the best-buddy, David-Jonathan relationship that happens just a few times during the course of our lives. We are required, however, to understand that others in our congregations are just as important to the Kingdom as are we. For God paid the SAME price to atone for their sins as He did for ours — the death of His Son.
If others have the same value to God as do we, shouldn’t we accept them just as readily as part of our faith family?
If you’ve been reluctant lately to associate with certain people at church, please allow Romans 15:7 to permeate your heart and soul. For when you and I stop living to please our personal preferences and start living to include and bless others, we’ll bring praise to God.
He’ll smile as His kids gather together without some of them feeling left out or not as important.
And isn’t putting a smile on His face part of why we were created in the first place?
As always, I love you
Martin
