Romans 14:19 (NKJV)
“Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.”
There are things that we should do and there are things we should pursue. All things good are useful but we are not called to chase after everything. There are two things we should however give every effort to do in our relationship with the brethren, and the first are “things that make for peace.” It’s not enough to be peaceful and peaceable; we need to create the atmosphere that promotes and encourages peace. We must be careful not to do anything that could be detrimental to building unity and fellowship among God’s people. NLT says, “Let us aim for harmony in the church.” This should be an aim in life, “doing whatever is needed to build a community of love among God’s people.”
The second thing to pursue is “things by which one may edify one another.” What this means again is that we need to invest in some “things;” practical activities and actions that build up the spiritual life and encouragement of other believers. We are called to build up each other. If I build up myself and I am succeeding, while my brother keeps falling and failing, can I really say that I have succeeded? Look out for practical things you can do to strengthen your brothers and sisters in Christ. To be standing while others are crawling, is not a credit to you. If you stand, work to help others stand. If you run, motivate and empower others to run. Don’t flourish by yourself. If only we will become less selfish and pursue the things that lead to the building up of the community of Saints, the Church would look better, feel healthier and impact the world a lot more.
“Lord, may I not only look inward, but help me look outward towards the Body; looking for opportunities to constructively and deliberately uplift others around me. In Jesus name.”
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