We must not just please ourselves.

Rom. 15:1-4

   1 We who are strong must be considerate of those who are sensitive about things like this. We must not just please ourselves. 2 We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord. 3 For even Christ didn’t live to please himself. As the Scriptures say, “The insults of those who insult you, O God, have fallen on me.” 4 Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.

Paul continued on the team of doing good through the end of chapter 14. He explained how the love-oriented believer, having rights to eat or drink whatever without fear of negative impact on his spiritual state, would volunteer to refrain if the eating or drinking might harm another. Chapter 15 picks up from there reminding believers to be considerate--sensitive the struggles of others. Because we live in the Power of the Lord Jesus , then we live to please Him rather than selves. We are becoming increasingly 'like Christ' the longer we live in surrender to Him. He subordinated his desires to benefit others-- and we can expect to receive the necessary power from God to do the same. Even in the face of rejection and insult Christ loved and sacrificed. Even in the face of rejection and insult we, too, will love and sacrifice our personal desires to bless others-- because of the Holy Spirit within us. And in doing so daily we grow yet more increasingly like the Lord. The more we do it the more like Him we grow. The more like Him we grow, the more we will experience the joy of sacrifice to bless others. Scriptures, themselves have validated this for millennia and continue to encourage us aw we wait upon God's promises.

Your servant in Christ's Love

Dan Elliott

drdanelliott@gmail.com