Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. – Romans 12:10
Division in God’s Kingdom does not always present itself as one would expect. Many followers of Christ are on guard against blatant sin, yet, when unity wanes in a body of believers it is often due to pride and selfish ambition, which destroy harmony.
Christ set the example for humility and showing honor to others. If you believe Jesus to be the Christ, God’s Messiah, then you accept the fact that He is eternal and in that eternal state He chose to give up the glory that was naturally His. He traded unfathomable beauty and riches for the broken and sin-filled world you know. How does that idea sit with you? It goes against human nature to trade a beautiful and exalted status for lowly servanthood.
Christ-like love for your neighbor or fellow believer can be similar to this. It willingly adopts an attitude of preferential treatment for others before yourself. That kind of humility in action is found in John 13 when Jesus washed the disciple’s feet at Passover. Afterward, He taught them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? … I have given you an example that you also should do just as I have done” (John 13:12-15).
Pray for God’s church in America to be devoted to humility and unity, avoiding selfish ambition and conceit. Ask that believers will bless their communities in harmony and faith. Pray for America’s public officials to put aside pride and arrogance, and choose to humbly serve the nation.
Today’s Verse: Romans 12:10
Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.
All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Recommended for further reading: Philippians 2:3-9
3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,
All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
