Today’s scripture: Romans 2:12-16 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Sue Robinson):
Some Bible verses are just so easy to understand. They just jump right off the page and the words mean exactly what they say.
Some seem to take a roundabout road to get you to their meaning. This passage took that road for me. The translation in “The Message” version of the Bible clears up my confusion.
Paul is saying that even if we are not Christians, we instinctively know right from wrong. Nearly all people just know that they shouldn’t kill, steal, and lie. Those character traits are just built into us.
But once we hear God’s gospel, we will be held to a higher standard. And just hearing it will not be enough. What we do with the information is of more concern to God. We can have a lot of ‘head knowledge’ but not put it into practice as ‘heart knowledge’. God intends for His Word to change us and it invites us to use it to make lives better for those in our paths.
Most of us at some time in our lives have encountered a person who could quote Bible verses all day but had no compassion or love for people. The rules are written in their brains, but not their hearts. God wants the message of His love to be written on hearts and for it to flow out onto those around us.
Prayer for the day: Lord, please help me to show that I am not just a ‘hearer’ of the Word, but a ‘do-er’ as well. Amen