⁹ Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. ¹⁰ Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. ¹¹ Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. ¹² Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. ¹³ Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

¹⁴ Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. ¹⁵ Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. ¹⁶ Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. ¹⁷ Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. ¹⁸ If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. ¹⁹ Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” ²⁰ To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” ²¹ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Romans 12:9-21

Dear God, I think there’s something implied in verse 21 that we sometimes miss: If we don’t follow all of these verses, including 19 and 20, then evil is overcoming us. Vengeance is dangerous to the avenger. Retribution is cancerous. Bitterness and hatred are destructive. There’s a reason Jesus said hating is akin to murder. And I’ve hated. I’ve hated others. And I’ve been hated. I am hated.

This passage is a good reminder that if I am to live peacably with others I must turn loose of hate and embrace compassion, forgiveness and love. That might mean dying to my own rights. That might mean being taken advantage of. It might mean being seen as week or soft.

I’m going to be teaching a Sunday school lesson later this morning about Eli and his sons, but I wonder how Samuel saw them. AFter his vivist from you overnight, how did he see Eli, Hophni, and Phinehas? Did he hold them with contempt? Did he judge them? Did he pity them? How did you want him to feel about them? “Hate the sin, love the sinner?” Try to influence them?

Father, I have the Rich Mullins song “Let Mercy Lead” going in my head right now. Help me to let mercy lead. Help me to follow Paul’s admonition to love my enemies, abhor what is evil, and love what is good. And with everything that I do, let it be with the goal of leading others into complete relationship with you.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen