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Romans 12:16
Thoughts on Today’s Verse…
“Don’t be conceited!” That’s a command for someone else, right? I don’t think I’ve ever met someone who felt he or she was conceited. But, when we’re looking for someone with whom we want to associate, we seldom look for someone ignored by the crowd, forgotten by the pretty people, and easily overlooked by others. We want to “hang around with” those who are important, who are superstars, or at least who carry some clout. We believe we deserve to be noticed and valued, too. Oops, guess that’s where the commands in this verse come from!
My Prayer…
Father, thank you for making me in your image, designed personally by you to do something to bring you glory. At the same time, Father, I don’t want to be a snob, thinking too much of myself and my importance. Please help me see those with whom you want me to associate. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Bible References
16 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.
Romans 12:16
Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
Have you ever noticed that proud and conceited people are hard to live in harmony with (James 4:6)? It really should be no surprise for at the base of pride and conceitedness is selfishness. The author of selfishness is Satan, when he can get our hearts and minds on ourselves his victory is almost complete at stealing our joy!
It takes the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives to live in harmony with one another. We have to be willing to give people the benefit of the doubt when they say or do something that we take offense at (Romans 12:18). I adopted a policy on this for myself a few years ago. When someone close to me offends me I forgive immediately, if it happens again then I talk to the individual about it to make sure that I am not misunderstanding them. If I really am offended or hurt by their actions then we talk it through and try to resolve the issue peacefully. I have found in my own situations that the majority of the time I have taken what they said or did wrong and they meant no offense at all.
God calls us to associate with the “unlovely” of this world (Matthew 9:10). We are to show the love of Christ to them when the rest of the world treats them as rejects in society. If we look at the people that Christ Himself associated with while He walked this earth we will see very quickly that He helped people that were indeed not accepted by their peers. This is one of the best ways to show the love of Christ to the unsaved of this world for they will see that it is of God that we do this!
Conceited people in reality are very insecure in themselves. They are not very willing to let anyone get too close to them lest they not care for what they come to know. There is a certain pride and ego that is there as a shield to keep anyone from finding out how they truly are inside. It is a very sad life they lead and they are to be pitied because God has such a better life for them if they would only surrender to and base their worth in Him alone (Galatians 2:20)!
Father God, thank You for sending Jesus to die for my sins. I love You so Abba and find all my worth and value in Christ alone. I stand clean before You in the blood of Jesus that takes away my sin and makes me Your child and joint heirs with Jesus! I give You all praise this day, Amen!