This post is Day 14 in a series of studies about “A Living Sacrifice”. I strongly suggest you begin with the introduction to this study, please click here to read it.

Feel free to comment below with your own thoughts about each verse and how you will be acting on each thought. Also, if you haven’t yet signed up to receive the notifications of new studies, you can do that today (the form is at the bottom of the page).

A Living Sacrifice – Day 14

The separation between leading and showing mercy is not telling us that leaders can not be merciful or that people who show mercy can not be leaders! Paul, here, is merely going through these ideas to say that whatever we are called to do we must do it for God.

Romans 12:8

If it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

The Thought

Remember that all these instructions that Paul is giving to the church in Rome are applicable to us today. Paul, here, is calling us to be Living Sacrifices.

Many pastors and priests will tell you that it is not a comfortable position being a “living sacrifice”. It is one of the most criticised jobs in the world. Many church goers spend too much time finding faults with their leaders. How sad!

But this verse is not just for church leaders. It is for any form of leadership. Whether you work in business, teach in a school, or are heading a team of any sort, or if you are a parent, you must do your job diligently. We must all remember once we are christians, that the way we work and treat others is often the only witness those people will see.

The separation in this verse between leading and showing mercy is not telling us that leaders can’t be merciful or that people who show mercy can’t be leaders! No, Paul is merely going through these ideas to say that whatever we are called to do we must do it for God.

Action

Ask yourself today if how you spend your days fits in the category of being a “living sacrifice” for Jesus.

Is God calling you to move into a leadership position of any sort? Or maybe He is asking you to give up a position in order to spend more time with Him?

Pray for those who lead you in any way, that they will be blessed and led by The Lord in all that they do.

Thank God for those who have been merciful to you at some point. Ask Him if He is wanting you to be merciful to someone.