Skip to main content

Freedom By Association


Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. (Romans 12:16)

          Have you ever gone to a concert at which every singer and every instrument played middle C, only middle C? If they did so, the concert could be described as monotonous. It would be lacking in harmony. Harmony requires more than one note. When today's passage was written social stratification was much simpler than it is today. You were a citizen or you were not. You were wealthy or you were poor. You were Greco-Roman or you were either Barbarian or Jew. You were free or you were slave. You were male or you were female. In every case, you were stuck there for life and those in the "or" category were treated poorly.
          Now, there are lots more ways to be in the "or" category. Many of the earlier standards are there, but partly because some people have decided to turn the standard over, so that those who were in the "or" category are now the good people, and those who were the good people are now in the "or." In addition to all the old standards being used in both directions, there are people judged as unworthy based on their attractiveness, their intelligence, their "heart," their capabilities in just about any area, the amount of melatonin in their skin, their agreement with one political or philosophical perspective, and just about any other aspect by which we can divide a group into "us" and "them." 
      Today's passage presents only one appropriate divider. "One another" refers to those who are of the same kind. This verse refers specifically to Christians living in harmony with other Christians. Within the "us" of Christians, there is to be no "us" and "them." We are admonished to love our enemies, but not to live in harmony with them. Among Christians, we are all called to identify our "or" categories, and find ways to associate. It will free you to love as God calls you to love them,

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The List

              Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,   through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;   perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. (Romans 5:1-5)           Think about it. We have been justified. At least, we could be justified if we stopped insisting that our justification be based on our merits. We have peace with God, or could have peace if we stopped throwing temper tantrums. We have gained access into grace i...
Post a Comment
Read more

Listen!

  While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” (Matthew 17:5)            Do you like roller coasters? I don't. You spend forever climbing a hill. You get to the top and have half a second, then you race down to a low point. Sometimes the racing down involves tying your insides into knots. At the bottom, you either have to be dragged up another hill or you get off the ride. Peter's life was a roller coaster from the time he met Jesus. There would be miracles, and then Jesus would teach things that didn't always make sense, and then they'd go out and perform miracles, and return to be taught. Peter was praised for giving the right answer to "Who do you say that I am?" Jesus said that said answer came from God. Peter was at the top of the hill.            ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Prayer Lists

                 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. (I Peter 2:2-3)   In connection with what I wrote yesterday about the possibility that I’m wrong, I’m feeling the need to go back to basics - craving spiritual milk because somehow, I missed something. It’s a little embarrassing, craving milk like a newborn, but the truth probably is that we are newborns many times in many ways in our lives. From God’s perspective, we may never be anything more than newborns, forever needing that milk. On the other hand, being a newborn can also be exciting because so much is new. My mind is playing pinball - ricocheting from one idea to the next and through six more before it happens to hit the third again. The main topic is prayer. I have at least seven organizing structures all somewhat influenced by the movie War Room , which I’v...
Post a Comment
Read more