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Today we are in Romans chapter 12. This portion of scripture teaches about devoting our lives in service to our Lord. The first verses speak about offering our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God as an act of worship. That is a huge step! It isn’t a little step like giving money to a local charity, or donating things to a homeless shelter, going to church occasionally, or wearing a Christian t-shirt or putting a bumper sticker on our car that advertises our church although those are good things. It also doesn’t mean we have to give up our home and become a full time missionary to Iceland or get a degree from a seminary or some big thing; although those are also good things.
God doesn’t just want our money, our stuff, our words, or our time. He wants our life! He wants all of who we are, all the time, in big and small ways every single day! We need to use the spiritual gifts that He has given us, humbly, for his kingdom. We need to use these gifts and not let them go to waste. No service is too small or below us. No service is not worthwhile if it in any way leads someone to Jesus.
I think of my Mom and Dad. Growing up, we just DID. If there was a need at church or in the neighborhood or at my parent’s job, there was no question that we did everything we could to meet that need. My dad at 90 plus years was still picking up trash outside the steps at church and mowing yards for neighbors and pulling weeds in their alleys, always with joy in his heart because as he was serving others, he was serving his Lord.
We are to use our gifts and not let them go to waste. If we all work together, using the gifts and commands that Paul writes in this chapter, then the world around us will see our Savior, Jesus.
As you read through this short chapter and go verse by verse you will probably see many areas that you are good at. Maybe they are your strengths. That makes us feel good that we are doing things well.
Maybe today you could thank God for the ways He is using you for His Kingdom and then maybe write down a couple of the areas that Paul listed that we would improve on. Maybe, write down ways that you could specifically do something to improve in that area and try to apply it this week. This short chapter packs a big wallop about how we are to serve and live. Let’s practice Romans 12 today.