People Will Notice – Romans 12:9-21

A text – Romans 12:9-21

12:9 Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good;
12:10 Love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor.
12:11 Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord.
12:12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer.
12:13 Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.
12:14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.
12:15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.
12:16 Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are.
12:17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all.
12:18 If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.
12:19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”
12:20 No, “if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads.”
12:21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

A reflection:

In this famous passage from Paul’s letter to the believers in Rome, he has already made the argument that we who believe in Jesus’s story are saved, no matter what, because God loves us, no matter what. Paul has also made the argument that the whole world is included in this deal between God and humans, not just the Jews but the entire world. And now he is answering the question, “Well, if we are saved by God for sure, then why not keep doing all the naughty things we want? What does it matter?”

Paul believes that by accepting the goodness and generosity of God, we become co-creators of a trustworthy world with God. And the job of co-creators of a trustworthy world is to live in such a way as to build trust and hope and peace. Look at all the action verbs here: Hate evil, hold fast to what is good, serve, rejoice, persevere, contribute, bless. And do these things in unexpected ways, for people who least expect it. Live as surprising a life as Jesus lived. Why?

Because when people see you rejoicing when you do a good thing for your enemy, they will NOTICE! Noticing is key. It’s very hard to get people’s attention. When you finally have it, you need to make the most of it. Paul says living in this way will get their attention and focus it on God’s work. Simple. It’s what we do. It’s what we are called to do, in gratitude for Jesus’s saving work in our lives. Amen.

A prayer:

Lord God, Thank you for loving us. Thank you for saving us from death and bringing us into partnership with you. Help us always to pay that favor forward and do good unto everyone else we meet, just because it is the compassionate way to live out our gratitude to you.  Amen.