Redeemed and Rewritten - Part XII

Scripture: 
“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality” (‭‭Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭9‬-‭13‬ ‭NIV‬‬).

Observation: 
In chapter 12 of the Book of Romans, Paul gives us practical ways to walk out the Gospel. He charges us to offer our lives as living sacrifices for God, giving detailed insight on what it looks like to love one another genuinely. 
In this week's sermon, Pastor Julius asked some questions that made me consider how well I’ve been following this exhortation. The one that stuck with me was: Have I been the one setting the standard with those I know? Or, have I allowed others to set the standard for me? 
I ran into a couple of friends from high school recently—friends I was once very close with. Seeing them brought up painful memories. When I came to Christ and started to change, I felt they didn’t like who I was becoming—that they were giving me a hard time because of my newfound faith. This caused us to drift apart and, over time, lose our friendship. There were times I thought about reaching out to rekindle the friendship, but I felt unsure and afraid they would reject me because I am so different.
But Sunday's message spoke to me and shifted my perspective. It was not rejection; it was protection. They didn’t push me away when I got saved. Instead, God removed them from my life to protect me. Back then, I was still conforming to their standards just to fit in. Since then, I’ve had much more time to let God change and grow me to be more like Him. In His time, He allowed these people to literally walk back into my life. So, when Pastor Julius said, “Be the one who reaches out, even if they might not respond,” that was all the confirmation I needed. Now I feel ready to reach out to them, confident that, through Him, I am strong enough to set the standard. 
We are to love each other with genuine affection (Romans 12:10). It is not enough for me to say that I love and care about them; I must show them the truth through my actions (1 John 3:18). 

Application: 
When I stop and think of all the Lord has done for me, I am in awe. I don’t know where I’d be without Him, but I know it wouldn’t be any place good. This compels me all the more to reach out to my old friends. He’s been so merciful. This is a gift we must also show forth to others. 
Philippians 4:6-7 reminds us to tell God what we need and thank Him for all He has done. In doing this, the Lord gives us peace beyond our understanding, which guards our hearts and minds as we live in Christ Jesus. 
When was the last time you sat and thanked the Lord for what He’s done in your life? For all He has protected you from? 
We are called to be doers of the Word, not just hearers. DO means loving each other genuinely—not just the people we see in church on Sunday. I’m talking about old friends that have drifted away, family members that are hard to get along with, neighbors with differing beliefs. We are called to serve others and build them up, allowing kindness to stir conviction in their hearts. We can’t do that by hiding, passing blame or avoiding. Be the one who reaches out, even when it feels too far. Be the peacemaker. Leave the door open and let God do the rest. 

Prayer:
Father God, today I thank you for all you have done for me! I pray that you would change my mind daily to be more like You. I trust that Your will for me is good, pleasing, and perfect. Lord, I want to be a living sacrifice to You. Let everything I do and think, how I spend my time and with whom, be a worship unto You. Let me be on fire for You! I will do all that I can do to live in peace with everyone, as Paul commands us in Romans 12:18. In Jesus’ name, Amen.