Pathways For Sojourners

[Beetow]

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019) Rom 12:11a . . Be not slothful in business; fervent in spirit

According to its use in Matt 25:26-27, the Greek word for "slothful" indicates failure
to honor one's fiduciary responsibilities.

In other words: when people have put their trust in you, in whatever capacity or
circumstance: do not disappoint them, nor (God forbid) make lame excuses for
failing to deliver on your commitments.

"fervent in spirit" sort of means on fire-- i.e. earnestly dedicated and/or committed
--which is just the opposite of half-hearted, lukewarm and/or stone-walling and
procrastination.
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[Beetow]

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020) Rom 12:12a . . Be glad for all God is planning for you.

Christians unsure of their afterlife destination cannot-- in all honesty and a good
conscience --comply with that rule. For all they know, God has outer darkness
planned for them. That's not something to be glad about.

There are obvious benefits to a permanent association with God; most especially
resurrection to a superior body and perpetual youth. But those aren't the end-all.

While we may not know all that God has in mind for us; we can take comfort in
knowing God is involved in our lives for our good, though for now it may not seem
that way.
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[Beetow]

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021) Rom 12:12b . . Be patient in trouble, and always be prayerful.

Job's circumstances gave him plenty of reasons to criticize God and to be upset
with the quality of His providence.

● Job 1:21-22 . . I came naked from my mother's womb, and I will be stripped of
everything when I die. Yahweh gave me everything I had, and He has taken it
away. Praise the name of The Lord. In all of this, Job did not sin by accusing God of
wrongdoing.

● Job 2:9-10. . His wife said to him: Are you still trying to maintain your integrity?
Curse God and die. But Job replied: You talk like a godless woman. Should we
accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad? So in all
this, Job said nothing wrong.

Troubles are often made bearable by a confidant; someone with whom we can
safely share every aspect of our distress. God is of course the first choice for that
purpose because He not only has a sympathetic ear but is also able to sufficiently
strengthen His own during their troubles to prevent them from jumping off a bridge
or drowning themselves in the bathtub.

"Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens,
Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have
a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one
who has been tempted in every way, just as we are-- yet was without sin. Let us
then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy
and find grace to help us in our time of need." (Heb 4:14-16)

The Greek word translated "confidence" basically means all out-spokenness, i.e.
frank, blunt, and/or candid. In other words: in our hour of desperation, we should
not address God with a rote prayer, instead; we ought to speak from our heart. I
mean, after all; we're not dealing with a totem pole rather, with a rational, sensible
being whose IQ exceeds us all.
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[Beetow]

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022) Rom 12:13a . . Share with God's people who are in need.

The Jews are God's people in accordance with an unconditional covenant that He
made with Abraham. (Gen 17:7-8)

NOTE: Nazi Germany was very nearly 99% Christian. Had they all complied with
Rom 12:13a, the effects of the Holocaust would've no doubt been greatly reduced.
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[Beetow]

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023) Rom 12:13b . . Practice hospitality.

Webster's defines hospitable as:

1_ given to generous and cordial reception of guests
2_ promising or suggesting generous and cordial welcome
3_ offering a pleasant or sustaining environment.

In other words; a hospitable person is civil, courteous, thoughtful, easy on one's
nerves, helpful, non threatening, non confrontational, non militant, non reactive,
non defensive, approachable, accommodating, and relaxing to be with.
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[Beetow]

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024) Rom 12:14 . . Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.

The Greek word for "persecute" basically means to pursue; i.e. to hound and/or
harass. In other words; a persecuting personality is one whose mission in life is to
ruin somebody's day at every opportunity.

The Greek word for "curse" is from a Greek word meaning to execrate.

Bless is from a Greek word that basically means to invoke a benediction, e.g.

"Good Morning."
"Live long and prosper."
"Have a nice day."
"Good Luck!"
"Bon Voyage!"
"Buen Camino." (Spanish: Pleasant Journey)
"Nya:weh" (Seneca: Thank You)
"Happy Birthday."
"Keep the clean side up, and the dirty side down." (CB radio jargon)
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[Beetow]

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025) Rom 12:15 . .When others are happy, be happy with them. If they are sad,
share their sorrow.

Competitive folks will find that one difficult to follow.

For example: I played little league baseball back in the 1950s and was not very
good at it. Well, one day our manager announced the best players for the season
and of all things, I had the highest batting average. It turned out that although I
didn't get up to the plate very often, by dumb luck and persistence I got on base
enough times that my stats were very good. Well; all the really excellent players
gave me a hard look but not one of them gave me an attaboy. They simply could
not bring themselves to be happy for me.

BTW: It's surprising the number of Christians that I've encountered, even Sunday
school teachers, who honestly believe that feelings have no role whatsoever in the
practice of Christianity. As a result, they go about the business of their spiritual life
as plastic mannequins: cold, academic, and metallic; sort of like the Tin Woodsman
of the Wizard of Oz who, without a heart, can't feel the passionate emotions he
once felt for the love of his life. Without a heart; the poor, pitiful man is barely a
sentient being.
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[Beetow]

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026) Rom 12:16a . . Live in harmony with each other.

It isn't necessary to be in 100% agreement with others on everything in order to
comply with that command. But it is necessary to practice courtesy, tolerance,
patience, and tact, i.e. make every effort to avoid feuding, recriminations, food
fights, toxic rejoinders, pay back, one-upmanship, and perpetual debating that
never gets to the bottom of anything. The opposite of harmony is dissonance,
which can be defined as a mingling of sounds that strike the ear harshly, e.g. sour
notes.

For some people, every disagreement is an act of war to be won at any cost. That's
not harmony, that's militant. It's far and away better for Christians to be diplomatic
rather than be right all the time.

● 2Cor 12:19-20 . . For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want
you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be
quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, gossip, arrogance and
disorder.
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[hawkman]

For some people, every disagreement is an act of war to be won at any cost.

Every hill is one to die on .

 

[Beetow]

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027) Rom 12:16b . . Don't be elitist, but willing to associate with people below you.

I'd have to say that those instructions apply only in church where it's understood by
Spirit-led Christians that no one in attendance is somehow better than another. (cf.
Jas 2:1-4)

Church managers should be given a higher degree of respect than pew warmers
because they're in positions of authority and greater responsibility; but all in all,
church is a congregation of redeemed sinners, and that includes the managers; so
we're all equals on that basis. Christ had to undergo just as much suffering,
indignity, and death to redeem church managers as he did for everyone else so God
forbid the hierarchy should exhibit a holier-than-thou attitude! (cf. Matt 23:2-7)
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[Beetow]

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● Rom 12:16c . . Don't be wise in your own conceit.

Webster's defines "conceit" as excessive self-appreciation of one's own worth or
virtue. In other words we're talking about hubris; which often indicates a loss of
contact with reality and an overestimation of one's own competence, capabilities,
and/or accomplishments. (cf. Rom 11:25)
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[Beetow]

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029) Rom 12:17a . . Never reciprocate evil with evil to anyone.

That is a really tough command to follow; for example: when someone makes a
demeaning comment, and/or a sarcastic remark about us, the urge to
counterattack with a rejoinder in kind is very difficult to resist.

Well-to-do families at one time sent their daughters off to finishing school to learn a
variety of social graces. I don't know, maybe they still do; but surely tact and
diplomacy ought to be common social graces among Christians.
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[Beetow]

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030) Rom 12:17b . . Respect what is right in the sight of all men.

Christians should not be known as unreasonable people. For example:

● Prov 3:3-4 . . Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your
neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good
name in the sight of God and man.

● Luke 2:52 . . And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and
men.

* The Greek word for "right" is a bit ambiguous. It can mean honorable, decent,
sensible, mature, conforming to social norms of decency and propriety, beautiful,
virtuous, honest, having worth, fitting, and/or appropriate. Those are all good
qualities and should be practiced not only inside church, but outside church too.
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[Beetow]

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031) Rom 12:18 . . If possible, so far as it in your power, be at peace with all men.

NOTE: The Greek word translated "men" is somewhat ambiguous. It mostly refers
to humans of either gender-- male and female --which bounces back to the very
beginning where both genders are labeled Man & Adam (Gen 1:27 & Gen 5:1-2)

Assertive, defensive, demanding, fault-finding, imperious, judgmental,
confrontational, argumentative, bossy, spirited, hard-nosed, implacable, moody,
thin skinned, vindictive, abrasive, spiteful people are not allowed in Heaven. Why?
Because it's a place of peace (Rom 14:17).

Disagreeable people who fight at the drop of a hat simply don't fit in God's world
and besides, not only would they be a fish out of water; but it wouldn't be fair to
the others to let difficult people in where they would surely turn Heaven into the
same kind of hellish world to live in that they've made this one.

* Of all people, Christians ought not be difficult; they should be the easiest to get
along with. (cf. Matt 5:9)
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[Beetow]

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032) Rom 12:19 . . Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave it to the
wrath of God, for it is written: Vengeance is mine, I will repay; testifies The Lord.

The focus is upon one's "own" revenge; in other words: what we're talking about
here is evening the score, i.e. payback.

So; if the matter can't be settled legally; then let it go rather than take it upon
yourself to be prosecutor, judge, jury, and executioner, viz: a vigilante. Those who
seek justice outside the justice system are no less criminals than the people they
seek to punish.
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[Beetow]

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033) Rom 12:20 . . If your personal enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty,
give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals upon his head.

Heaping real live burning coals upon somebody's head would be terribly vindictive
and unchristian; as would wishing them dead and condemned to Hell. It's probably
just meant to be a figure of speech for making someone feel ashamed of
themselves.

Way back when the television show "SURVIVOR" was in its second or third season,
two of the women fell out of sorts and one vowed that even if the other were lying
in the street near death from thirst, she'd walk right past and not give her so much
as a drop of water.

Bad form. Christians have to remain civil and not permit detestable people to
dictate the way we treat our fellow men. It is far better for Christ's followers to
exemplify humanitarian principles than satisfy a grudge. I'll admit it's galling to
have to be courteous with people that mistreat us; but what can I say? Christ
expects it.

● Matt 5:46-47 . . If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are
not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what
are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?
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[Beetow]

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034) Rom 12:21 . . Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

In other words: fighting fire with fire (a.k.a. turnabout is fair play) is not always the
wisest course of action for Christians to follow.

Compliance with that particular command requires some self control on our part
because human nature's impulses usually steer us into unbecoming conduct when
someone does us wrong.
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[Beetow]

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035) Rom 13:1 . . Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for
there is no authority except that which God has established.

God has given governments the right to play God; therefore Christians ought not to
be scofflaws; no, they really ought to be the most law-abiding citizens on Earth;
however there is a limit to the extent of our compliance because governance
doesn't stop with the law of the land, rather, the chain of command reaches even
unto Heaven.

● Matt 22:21 . . Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and
unto God the things that are God's.

Caesar and God are both in authority over us but with God of course having the
final word as the supreme being.

● Acts 5:29 . .We ought to obey God rather than men.

Christians should expect neither favoritism nor immunity should they break the law.
So then, if you can't do the time, then don't do the crime because Christian heads
roll the same as any other criminal's head; and that goes for lesser crimes too, e.g.
J-walking, illegal U-turns, feeding parking meters, drifting through stop signs
without coming to a complete halt, exceeding the speed limit, unsafe lane changes,
road rage, disturbing the peace, littering, trespassing, shoplifting, civil
disobedience, vandalism, and animal abuse, etc.

● Rom 13:2-3 . .Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling
against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on
themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do
wrong.
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[Beetow]

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036) Rom 13:6a . . Pay your taxes

While it's true that tax dollars often get wasted on fraud, graft, pork, bail outs, ear
marks, foreign aid, endowments, grants, subsidies, and involvement in other
peoples' civil wars; by and large taxes are necessary if we're to expect essential
services like schools, parks, national defense, law enforcement, fire protection,
Medicare, Medicaid, Food Stamps, foster care, flood control, forest management,
FEMA, TANF, SSI, and the maintenance of infrastructure, etc.

Taxes are also used to pay government salaries, wages, and benefits to
bureaucrats and heads of State. Though such folk are not holy people in the
religious sense, they should probably be regarded as such-- maybe even as angels.
(of a sort)

● Rom 13:6b . . for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to
governing.

NOTE: Elected officials often regard the position they've won as an achievement;
when they really ought to be terrified of the responsibility that comes with it
because the higher people ascend the ladder of power, the more severe the
consequences for failure to fulfill their duty to God.
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[Beetow]

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037) Rom 13:7 . . Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if
revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

Christians don't have to particularly like the folks in high places, but we do have to
allow them the dignity that their positions require in compliance with Rom 13:1-5.

NOTE: The items listed are presented as requirements rather than options.
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