Paul breaks forth in a prayer for his readers asking God to give them endurance and encouragement in chapter 15 of Romans. Let us remember his context for this letter. People in Rome came from various cultures and are developing worship together. Not unlike today. Some Romans ate pork and some felt it was forbidden. Today it might be people of different political parties that each has strong views about politics, coming together to worship. That feels almost impossible. Where’s the loyalty and unity?
We lived in Kenya during the political and social chaos that broke out in 1995 as the country went to a multiparty system. Many churches split and became war zones with people killing each other. One church near our home became a refugee camp with people living in the churchyard in tents made from cardboard boxes and laundry hung on the fences surrounding the property. How can we avoid those extremes? Paul prays for endurance like God who perseveres with us sinners and he prays for encouragement. The passage reads like this but I added the more modern Message translation afterwards.
“5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, 6 so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 15:5-6, NIV)”
3-6 That’s exactly what Jesus did. He didn’t make it easy for himself by avoiding people’s troubles, but waded right in and helped out. “I took on the troubles of the troubled,” is the way Scripture puts it. Even if it was written in Scripture long ago, you can be sure it’s written for us. God wants the combination of his steady, constant calling and warm, personal counsel in Scripture to come to characterize us, keeping us alert for whatever he will do next. May our dependably steady and warmly personal God develop maturity in you so that you get along with each other as well as Jesus gets along with us all. Then we’ll be a choir—not our voices only, but our very lives singing in harmony in a stunning anthem to the God and Father of our Master Jesus! (Romans 15:3-6, The Message)”
Sharing opinions when we are on opposite sides is hard. Perhaps having the goal to be able to improve our ability to hear the other’s opinion without interrupting is a good place to start. Perhaps thinking of a word of encouragement we could give to someone we disagree with is a place to start also. I like the Message’s image of us being a choir working together. We are not all sopranos or basses but we can be in the same choir seeking to sing in harmony and unity. Lord, help us!!!
On the Way to Wonder 