10). Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; 11). Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; 12). Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; 13). Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality; 14). Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.
ROMANS 12:10-14
When Paul says to “give preference to one another in honor” (Romans 12:10), he is essentially telling us to treat others as if they are the most important people in the room—not because they are, but because they’ve been created in God’s image. We are called to consider others as greater than ourselves (Philemon 2:3), loving and honoring them the way the Lord does.
Loving as God loves includes a willingness to lay down the need to be first, the need to be right, and the need to have things our own way. Instead, we choose the way of the cross, humbly leveraging who we are and what’s been given to us for the benefit of those around us.
Let’s continually race each other to the back of the line. When we do this well, our friendships, families, churches, and communities will be filled with people intent on showing honor by deferring to one another. As a result, we’ll be honoring the One who created us all.
-IBC
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