A Reading from Romans
Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.
The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery; You shall not murder; You shall not steal; You shall not covet”; and any other commandment, are summed up in this word, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law. (Rom. 13:8-14;)
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Let love be your only debt. That lovely advice from the Romans reading is something that should be included in every wedding service, and reiterated by every marriage counselor.
The writer is saying that if we love others then we have done all that is expected of us.
But then he admonishes us not to behave badly. Which is a bit puzzling. Right after giving us the ultimate advice – do everything out of love basically – we are now being told what we must or must not do – and reminded about the law – which we were told we would fulfill just by loving others.
Can that be because Paul knows that loving others, and consequently acting properly is not easy to do?
Could it be that wanting to love others, wanting to act properly is something that doesn’t come – a change that doesn’t take place – like lightning, but rather is an evolving thing?
We evolve into being good examples of Jesus-followers – Christians.
I have read about people being changed overnight, and I have met some. I myself came back to the church because of a change that took place in my own heart, seemingly instantaneously.
Looking back later though, I could see that there was a number of influences that gradually coalesced, and eventually guided me back to Christ.
It didn’t happen just like that.
Rather, like you, I have become painfully aware that living a Christian life is a struggle. It isn’t something we can achieve right away.
It helps that we are part of a church community. It helps that we consciously try to live better.
It’s a good thing if our partner is also trying to live as a Christian. One can help the other.
But boy, sometimes it seems like one step forward and two steps back.
On the good days, though, it is two steps forward and one step back. That’s how we like, it isn’t it?
We become disciples gradually, as every day we try to be purer, calmer, more patient, more loving, than we were the previous day.
The trouble is, that immersed in this world, we sometimes absorb, by osmosis, it seems, the world’s ways of doing things.
It’s a fast paced place.
It needs people who can think on their feet, get things done. Aggressive people!
The adjective most often used in advertising for executive positions is “aggressive.”
You had better be aggressive if you want to be a manager, or a salesman.
But is aggressiveness an ideal Christian trait?
I don’t think so. The people I remember as being good Christians always seemed to have lots of patience. They were the opposite of aggressive.
But I met an aggressive Christian once. He wasn’t from one of the mainline denominations. He knocked at my door one Friday when I was trying to write my sermon, and falling behind schedule.
When I answered the door, he said, “Good day, can we (he had a colleague) spend a few minutes with you to tell you about salvation?”
I said, “Well, I think I know about salvation, and I am very busy, and I don’t have time to get into a big discussion about faith right now.”
“So you don’t want to be saved?” the other one asked.
“Well I think I am saved.” I said.
“I don’t think so,” said the first.” You need to listen to what we have to say.”
“So you are the only one who knows the secret?” I asked.
“ We have the key to salvation,” he said.
I said, “Well, I don’t have time to dispute that right now, so would you please leave?”
The second one then leaned forward, (they made no attempt to leave) and said something to the effect that I obviously didn’t care about what happened to my soul, and that I was headed for somewhere horrible.
It took me a long time to get them off my porch, I tell you. I was becoming aggressive myself, if you must know.
That young man may have been a salesman in his secular job, and he may have been using techniques that were valued in that job. And which he felt should be used in persuading pagans to convert.
He was determined to close a deal!
But that’s the point, isn’t it? The things that are valued in this world are not necessarily what make a good Christian.
And yet we may have so slipped into the world’s ways without knowing it.
Sometimes, it may take another Christian to show us where we go wrong.
I will show you what I mean, by means of a I found a sketch on the web by Dave Marsh : I will play all three parts.
It goes like this:
Jim was busy at work, his was a busy desk, and he had just taken a call from his minister, where they discussed livening up the Bible Study that Jim was leading at his church.
He then began dictating a letter to his admin assistant, Donna, but was soon interrupted by a call from his wife reminding him that he hadn’t bought a gift for his father, whose birthday was coming up soon.
He was a little bit tetchy with his wife. She had already reminded him about his dad many times. He finally told her to get anything she wanted and wrap it.
Then he got back to the letter, which was to a supplier. Jim was drawing their attention to the fact they had shipped two computers less than ordered and invoiced.
Jim suggested to admin assistant Donna that they should say the shipment was short shipped three. Not two.
As he was doing the letter with Donna, a pretty young woman, named Tina came in with a message, smiled, and complimented Jim on his tie. “You look good today, Jim,” she said.
Jim reacted to the compliment from this pretty young woman, as you might expect, and had to be reminded to come back to the matter at hand by Donna.
When he had finished dictating the letter, he asked Donna to read it back to him.
This is what she read:
Dear Mr. Johnson. I’m writing you this letter in regard to the last shipment of Pentium machines. It appears that I – am rude to my wife on the phone and that the shipment of July 1st was in error. We ordered 17 Pentium 450 meg processors and our clerk Tina only received – inappropriate flirting from me – 15 processors – even though I’d like my assistant to lie and say 14. – Please contact me with any questions. I expect the missing 3 – but really 2- machines here on Monday. Best regards, Jim Davis.
Jim jumped up, “Donna?” he cried out, “Are you crazy? Don’t you know the difference between what you’re supposed to say and not say? Between the good stuff and the bad stuff?”
Donna said, “ Funny, I was going to ask you the same question.
Paul’s advice about coping with the world is to “Let the Lord Jesus Christ be as near to you as the clothes you wear. Then you won’t try to satisfy your selfish desires.”
And you will mind what you do, even if you don’t expect to be caught out.
Amen.