Sharing and Accepting

 DEVOTION

THE LETTER TO THE ROMANS

SHARING AND ACCEPTING

Rom 12:9-13

9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

NIV

Let us now turn our attention to sharing with God’s people who are in need as well as to practicing hospitality. We do find it interesting how the Greek makes something a little different than most of the various translations express the meaning. It is not they are completely different, but the word translated as share, or contribute is koinooneoo, which means to come into communion with or fellowship as well as to be a sharer, be a partaker. This carries a deeper meaning than to just sharing. The question, of course, is what are we to communion or fellowship with them, what are we to partner with them? First, we should also understand that it is not what their need is, but what is their necessity, which could imply a variety of things. Certainly, the basics of life would fit, such as food, clothing, and housing, which could be accomplished with sharing our money with God’s people. We would think that it first would have to be known there are God’s people who are in need. Then does that mean just within our local church, or does that mean worldwide? We do not think Paul is exhorting this church in Rome, and us, to return to what happened during the acts of the apostles, when people sold their property and had all things in common. Over the course of time the church has certainly changed and that type of communion in acts has not been repeated in the church throughout the course of time. Nevertheless, we still come back to how do we share? How do we fellowship or partake in the necessities of those fellow believers? Again, it would seem this would require a level of transparency in the church. How do we know someone is in need unless they express their need? It seems, at least to us, that there is more of a sense of a façade within the local church. When it comes to the worldview, we could give and give, and the needs would never be completely met. Therefore, we have to think, this coming into communion with our fellow believers is referring to within the regional church, or where we are aware of someone in need. Still, it comes down to partaking in their necessities. What that looks like exactly is difficult to comprehend unless a complete openness is within the church. Then we would know who is in need and could be of assistance. Still, it comes down to doing if we are to comply with the leading of the Spirit. Let us simply be open to this partaking as the Spirit leads us. As far as practicing hospitality, it would seem self-explanatory, both as a church, accepting those who are different then us, and in a personal sense, inviting others into our homes to fellowship, to communion with them. However, the Greek word here for hospitality directly speaks to strangers. That is accepting all into fellowship.