Christian Love

Nov 23, 2015 1967

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

Pride is a disease that afflicts people in all walks of life. There are people who are obsessively proud of their skin colour and who look down on anyone with a different coloured skin. There are people who are proud of their looks and who look down upon anyone who is not as good-looking as they. There are people who are proud of their culture and who despise folk of a different culture, there are people who are proud of their status as sports-stars, film-stars or rock-stars, and who ignore lesser beings. There are people who are proud of their wealth and who despise the poor; and there are ‘Christians’ who despise other Christians, I am ashamed to say, just because they belong to a different tribe or caste.

Such divisive pride should never be found among the followers of the humble Lord Jesus who was more than willing to associate with people of low position. He announced that he had not come for the wealthy and the self-satisfied, but for the poor and those who were hungry for God’s free grace.

It takes courage to attack the barrier between one tribe and another, between one caste and another, or between one gender and another. Christians, however, should be renowned for breaking down such false barriers to set the captives free. Do you have that kind of courage?

Paul’s message is very practical because, in the assembly at Rome, there would have been, among others, wealthy slave owners and their slaves.
Are there similar differences in your assembly? If there are what can you do to bring the members together in brotherly love?

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