Over You

DEVOTION
ROMANS
OVER YOU
Rom 16:18-19
19 Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I am full of joy over you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil.
NIV
As I come to the end of this letter to the Romans I am struck with the thought about being full of joy over someone else being obedient to the Gospel, to Christ, to God, or to the Word, whichever it may be. In a world of such self awareness, and so many sermons I here that are focused on my being aware of my own journey with Christ I am seeing here I might be mislead. Now I know I hear about loving God and Loving my neighbor. I know I hear about serving others. I know I hear about spreading the Gospel not just through words but by deeds. I know I hear about doing what is right in the sight of God and all those things, but they still focus in me, I what I am doing for the Kingdom, what I am doing in my obedience to Christ, my journey. The question is, how much do I hear about someone else being obedient and am I full of joy over them? As well as am I concerned about them being wise about what is good and innocent about what is evil? It surely would seem I should be focused on others walk with the Lord as much, if not more so, then my own. Is this a special calling of God upon me or is it a general calling upon all believers? Is it the heart of a shepherd or pastor who is filled with joy over others journey of obedience? Should every believer be so concerned about others they are filled with joy over them as well? It would seem this is a statement by Paul, who was a shepherd, a personal note of his own feeling about those God had place under his direction. I think rather than a general call to all believers to fulfill this kind of concern, it is a specific call to those who are moved by this verse, to those who hear that call from God to look after the spiritual well being of others. To those who are motivated to have that heart which gets filled because of those who God has placed under his care, are living a life of being obedient. I sense that type of joy when someone who God has placed within my influence, tells me of how something I have said, either in a bible study, a sermon or something in my book has enlightened their journey with Christ. Maybe I am a shepherd after all. Oh God help me!