Romans 12:10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.
I find today’s passages incredibly appropriate as I prepare to begin a new semester. God is at the center of who I am, and while I do not discuss my faith in a classroom setting, I most certainly want to infuse Him, my core and my center, in all I do. One way to do that is to love my students where they are, for who they are, and with whatever baggage they are currently carrying. That is often easier said than done. Jesus, Help me.
Romans 12:12-13 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
I try to treat people with unconditional positive regard because I believe that all people have value, even when they/we make mistakes. To me, treating someone as a human being worthy of love and respect is the same concept as Paul’s reminder to practice hospitality. To me, Jesus’s radical idea that even prostitutes, tax collectors, and adulterers were worthy of His love and His time seems to speak to the same concept of unconditional positive regard.
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.
Lord, Thank You for this day and for these reminders. Thank You for the unconditional positive regard which You show to all people. Help me to live the spirit of these verses as I begin this new semester. Help me to serve as Your heart, Your hands, and Your feet to all I encounter. Draw me closer. Amen.
Romans 12:21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Have a blessed day.
My faith, my life, my teaching–it's all a work in progress.