Devotion

Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another
above yourselves.
-- Romans 12:10


One of the most blessed things in time of trouble and pain is my brothers and sisters in Christ. I have been provided great comfort from my Christian family.This is a term the gets thrown around a great deal and probably has lost much of the intended meaning. But, it really  has a significant standing if we are believers in Christ. Jesus said we are adopted as sons and daughters. Not just members of a club, but part of a heavenly family. If we are adopted, we have all the rights and privileges of the real family. We are no different. Because we are all adopted as believers in to God's family we need to treat each other as family members. I think the church is really not doing a good job of this, but I am the church so I need to do my part and rely on other family members for encouragement and help and be a source of encouragement and hope. "He who toots his own horn plays in a very small band!" A very selfish part of me wants all attention and appreciation to be focused on what I have done, sacrificed, and accomplished. One of the signs of spiritual maturity that Paul lists here, however, is a devotion to others who are our fellow Christians. This means that I genuinely rejoice when others are honored. In fact, I am even more interested in honoring others than in receiving honor myself.  We are really "all in the faily"


Dear God, my loving Father, thank you for surrounding me with so many godly and honorable people.  People who care about me and my family not just as casual observers but as interested participants who walk along side of me when there are times of rejoicing and times of pain.

This is what a family does for each other!

Please help me see ways each day that I can show them my:

love, 

admiration, 

and appreciation. 

Thank you for putting me in your family!