"Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.
Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.
Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men."
Romans 12:15-17
I think that Paul gives us some excellent, inspired advice here about how God would like us to behave. God's suggestions for us here will lead us to being kinder and making the world a better place. They will also help us learn to be happier and more satisfied with life and ourselves. :) ... You don't get better advice than that.
The first verse seems to be basically asking us to have empathy for other people... to understand their emotion and to feel with them. I think that is an important lesson in life: to understand how to step outside ourselves and to see from other people's perspectives. It is *so* easy to be selfish and only look at how things affect us. But if we take the step, and try to see how other people experience life, and how it feels to be in their shoes, it gives us a chance to learn to be more compassionate, more caring... to understand other people and know how to help them and get along with them.
The second verse goes further and asks us to think of each other as equals... of those other perspectives as important and as in need of expression as our own. We're asked not to base our judgements on income, social status, title, or power... or anything else that makes us feel above each other. As we learn to see from the perspective of the poor and other "low" places as seen by society, and if we avoid assuming that people are in a certain position because of being less wise or less intelligent... or less anything, we'll learn a lot more about them, and ourselves, and how we can get along and help each other.
The last verse asks us not to perpetuate evil... not to get "revenge" for being treated badly, and not to lash out even when someone else started it. We're also asked to be honest... not just in our estimation, kind of skirting around the edge of the lie and being vague... but to be completely honest, from the perspective of everyone.
Today, let's take this advice to heart. Let's work on understanding other people, and on thinking of them as equals. Let's promote goodness and honesty even when we encounter otherwise. Let's make the world brighter. :)
Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.
Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men."
Romans 12:15-17
I think that Paul gives us some excellent, inspired advice here about how God would like us to behave. God's suggestions for us here will lead us to being kinder and making the world a better place. They will also help us learn to be happier and more satisfied with life and ourselves. :) ... You don't get better advice than that.
The first verse seems to be basically asking us to have empathy for other people... to understand their emotion and to feel with them. I think that is an important lesson in life: to understand how to step outside ourselves and to see from other people's perspectives. It is *so* easy to be selfish and only look at how things affect us. But if we take the step, and try to see how other people experience life, and how it feels to be in their shoes, it gives us a chance to learn to be more compassionate, more caring... to understand other people and know how to help them and get along with them.
The second verse goes further and asks us to think of each other as equals... of those other perspectives as important and as in need of expression as our own. We're asked not to base our judgements on income, social status, title, or power... or anything else that makes us feel above each other. As we learn to see from the perspective of the poor and other "low" places as seen by society, and if we avoid assuming that people are in a certain position because of being less wise or less intelligent... or less anything, we'll learn a lot more about them, and ourselves, and how we can get along and help each other.
The last verse asks us not to perpetuate evil... not to get "revenge" for being treated badly, and not to lash out even when someone else started it. We're also asked to be honest... not just in our estimation, kind of skirting around the edge of the lie and being vague... but to be completely honest, from the perspective of everyone.
Today, let's take this advice to heart. Let's work on understanding other people, and on thinking of them as equals. Let's promote goodness and honesty even when we encounter otherwise. Let's make the world brighter. :)
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