Romans Part 6: RESPONSESample

Call to Community

Have you ever heard of the word “schadenfreude?” Derived from a German word, it is “enjoyment at the troubles of others.” You may have never heard the word, but no doubt we’ve all experienced the feeling. It’s not bound only to the German language; it can be found in Japanese, Dutch, French, Russian, Hebrew, and beyond. We can sometimes be a judgmental and self-centered human race.

But, Paul is making known in Romans 12:14 that we are called to act in complete opposition to this, “malicious joy” we may be tempted towards because of our flesh. In fact, he doesn’t call us to just ignore those who are persecuting us, he calls us to bless them. The Greek word used for “bless” in verse 14 is “eulogeite,” which means “to speak well of” or “praise.” Jesus himself calls us to love our neighbors as ourselves (Matthew 22:39). How are we able to do this? On our own, we cannot. It is only with the help of Christ. Because we have received the gift of mercy and grace, we are now able to bestow it upon others (1 Peter 2:9).

Paul encourages us further into community engagement in verse 15 by saying we rejoice and weep together. Rejoicing over others’ successes and accomplishments can be hard; it can trigger hopelessness, envy, and jealousy. Sometimes, rejoicing is a choice and reveals in us character defects to bring before the Lord. There is also a call to empathy, not passively observing tragedy, but having a real love, reaching out and putting yourself in the place of your brother or sister. It can be so tempting to do life alone - to be that “independent woman (or man).” But, we consistently see in Scripture, as here in Romans, God is calling us to do life together. Galatians 6:2 says, “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”

What has stirred up inside you today? Are you being called to pray for grace and wisdom over a difficult situation with a friend, family member, or colleague? Is emotional expression or social situations challenging for you? I challenge you to prayerfully consider what God is speaking to you right now.

-Elizabeth Williams