How difficult do you make this?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living

Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
(Romans 12:16 (NIV))

This passage is taken out of a section that many translations refer to as “Love in Action.”

Think about that concept for a moment. Are you able to put these words into action?

Do you strive to live in harmony with others, both believers and nonbelievers? I realize that it is easier to do this when you are dealing with someone who shares your beliefs, but we are called to show love to everyone. How do you live in harmony with someone who takes great pleasure in taunting and tormenting you because of your faith?

Then there is pride! It is a nasty human trait. We can’t even get a job without having to convince someone that we are better than anyone and everyone else. What happens if you start to act like you truly believe this about yourself? Do you begin to develop tendencies to elevate yourself at the expense of others? Is this how we are called to show love?

As a member of the Body of Christ, we must remember that we were shown love when we didn’t deserve it. We must remember that we were shown grace and mercy when we didn’t deserve it. All too often, we do not show love as were are called to show love. Sadly, many times we show the exact opposite and we make it difficult for others to see Jesus in us or through us.

How difficult do you make this?

Copyright 1998 – 2018 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Will God reward you for your integrity?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

Guard my life and rescue me;
let me not be put to shame,
for I take refuge in you.
May integrity and uprightness protect me,
because my hope is in you.
(Psalms 25:20-21 (NIV))

God rewards integrity! Do what is right in the sight of the Lord, and you will not go wrong. Our hope is built on the faithfulness of God. He has proven that faithfulness through the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ. His promise was kept, just as all of His promises are kept. We must strive to keep all of the promises that we make. We must not make these promises in vain. We must carefully consider what we promise. We must weigh our promises against God’s Word and if it fits within God’s Word, we should say that we will do it.

Simply let your `Yes’ be `Yes,’ and your `No,’ `No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.
(Matthew 5:37)

Integrity comes when we do what we say we will do. Do not try to emphasize something by drawing attention to it. Simply, do what is right in God’s eyes and do it without drawing attention to yourself. Do it to reflect the fact that you are a child of God, and you have the Holy Spirit within you reflecting the Light of the Father.

Copyright 1998 – 2016 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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