Romans 16--Good Gossip

When you realize that you are saved by grace and that there is nothing you can do add to the love, affection and approval that you have in Christ before God—you have a remarkable ability to see the virtue in others. Hebrews 3:13 teaches us to, “encourage one another daily…so that we will not be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” That is a command and the stakes are high because how horribly sin can deceive.

Paul is an example of one who understands the gospel so clearly that he can look around him and see people and the various ways each of them bring value and contribution to the Kingdom of God. Not only that, but he unashamedly promotes others publicly knowing that there is no scarcity of virtue, righteousness and approval for those who know the gospel. We fail in our ability to build others up because we are afraid that if we build them up, we may be putting them above ourselves--making our way to the bottom.

True encouragement is an overflow of something that you have. I am not talking about the needy kinds of encouragement that fishes for compliments in return. True encouragement comes from the heart that has been dislodged from self-reflection, and is now able to look at people through the eyes of God. This heart then uses its words to build others up to their face and behind their back—thereby creating good gossip.

Are you better at finding faults in others than in finding in them value? Is that the way God looks at you? Why don’t you try practicing the reality of the gospel in your life by creating some good gossip about the people around you.

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PSS--Look for the Advent Reading Series starting tomorrow.

Posted by Marc