This post is Day 26 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 26

Paul is talking to people in a fairly new Christian community, and is urging them to let go of any wrong attitudes they had in their old lives, and become a loving caring community who will bless others and attract attention because of the good things they do and say.

Romans 12:17

Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.

The Thought

This too is a difficult command to obey, as was yesterday’s. How is it possible to do what is right in the eyes of everyone? We are all surrounded by people with such diverse standards of behaviour, different expectations, different customs, different education!

Two other English translations give us different ideas about this verse:-

Focus on those things that everyone considers noble. (English Heritage version)

See that your public behaviour is above criticism. (Phillips)

I believe Paul is telling us to remember that the way we live our lives, and everything we say and do in the hearing of others must be good. And we never know who might be listening or overhearing what we say. Have you ever heard it said that your life is the only Bible some people will read.

We have to live our lives as good witnesses. In everything we do and say, and in the way we act and react. Jesus was our example in that, except for His attitude to the Pharisees who were constantly trying to trick him and eventually planned his death.

Paul is talking to people in a fairly new Christian community. He is urging them to let go of any wrong attitudes they had in their “old” lives. They must become a loving caring community who will bless others and attract attention because of the good things they do and say.

Is your church like that?

Action

Pray for your community or small group or your home family to “be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone”.

Pray for forgiveness for the problems of the past when Christians have not done what is right. We have a history of wars, murders, and “under the Heavenly altar” there are many Christian martyrs. (Revelation 6:9)