Unity and Humility
This is an audio recording of Unity and Humility the Day 20 entry in Today for Seafarers (Vol. 1) devotional by Jason Zuidema.
Listen to the audio by Sheila Margerrison or read the text below:
“By the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of
yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself
with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. For just as each of us has one body with
many members, and these members do not all have the same
function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and
each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts,
according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it
is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”
Today’s reading from Romans 12 deals with Christian leadership and relationships. The lessons here are true in all of life, including life on board a ship.
To be a leader, one must not have too high an opinion of oneself—this is the rule of humility. Being humble does not mean letting others walk all over you on every possible occasion; it simply means having the right opinion of yourself. It means you know what you can do and what you cannot do. We are all sinners before God, so on that level we cannot claim we are better than other people. We are all part of the body of Christ.
Further, we all belong “to all the others.” This idea is incredible— it is a recipe for unity among Christians. As Christ’s followers, we make sure that our relationships with others include showing Christ’s love without hypocrisy. The love Paul describes means giving without expecting anything in return.
Paul gives three examples of this kind of love. The first is brotherly love. The second is to be fervent in what we do. The third is that love cares for the burdens of others. One way to care for these burdens is to give to the church. Offerings in the church are not simply to build up our little church institution.
They provide a way to contribute to the advancement of the kingdom of God by helping others nearby and far away. Romans 12 is filled with teachings that are helpful for the Christian life. Paul does not leave the door open for uncommitted religion, even if one is a seafarer far from home. To learn more about this dedicated life, look to Jesus Christ, the ultimate model of a dedicated life of service.
For Further Thought
Do you have the humility and love of which this passage speaks?
Are you ready to give with joy to the mission of the church, even if you are far from home?
How do you participate in spiritual life with other Christians when you are on board ship?
Prayer
Lord, move me to serve others so that they may be blessed through the work you have done in me, and so that I may grow closer to you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
