If you are a person who wants to know how a Christ-follower should live, Romans 12 would be one of the chapters I’d suggest reading. It is practical Christianity with a capital “P.”
Romans 12 also happens to be a favorite chapter. Today I found myself drawn to verse 16. Honestly, I am not sure I have paid much attention to that verse before. I reads: Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. It was the second sentence that jumped out at me.
Do not be proud. Okay, that’s a fairly common Biblical teaching. It was the continuing application that caught me off guard. In the split second that my eyes passed along the comma and but, my mind anticipated something like, ‘but be humble’. The words of the text but be willing to associate with people of low position took me by surprise.
I never thought about that… associating with people of ‘low position’ helps counter the pride that can grow in me (us). Who are people of ‘low position?’ I immediately thought of people living in lower economic situations, handicapped, aged, minorities, immigrants. I suspect that ‘people of low position’ could mean different things to each of us. In general they are people who are looked past by people in our stream of life. They are people outside our stream of life who live on a lower wrung of the socio-economic ladder.
Now back to the main thought, Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. This Word from the Lord is forcing me to consider the people I hang around with. It is also causing me to consider how I treat people of ‘lower position’ when I cross their paths in everyday living. Think about it.
Lord, help me treat all people with the respect and dignity that is deserved because they were created by You and carry Your fingerprint… Your DNA. You created them just as You created me and because of that fact alone, they deserve my consideration.
Lord, I confess I do not always live this way. Forgive me and work on me. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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