Romans 12:16, Let Each Esteem Other Better Than Themselves
Romans 12:16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.
Hendricksen said well, “Believers are exhorted to agree among themselves, doubtless in order to exert a wholesome influence upon those who are still outside the kingdom. Now in order to live in harmony, it is necessary that every manifestation of sinful pride be banished.”
What is this mind that we are to have one toward another? This is the mind of Christ undergirded by God’s love articulated well by the Apostle Paul in Philippians 2:1-3 “If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, 2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.“
Our Lord Jesus taught in Matthew 5:43-47 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven…46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? 47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
Someone slapped you on the right cheek, give him your left cheek. What is Jesus saying here? Someone ask you to carry his bag and walk on mile you walk two miles. Someone take thy outer coat, give him your inner coat. Almost insane reaction right? These are people punishing you. What is Jesus saying here? What does it mean? How do you explain this? What kind of life are you advocating we live? It is almost an insane life, Jesus Himself said it. When someone punish you, you are willing to bear the greater punishment. If you slap me, slapping in all cultures is the same, is most humiliating. You can hit the body or anywhere else but don’t slap the face, slapping the face is most humiliating. We all know that. And our natural reaction is that I will slap you back. What the Lord is saying here? You slap my face, instead of slapping you back, I have a heart within me that is so changed by my God that I have the heart to think “Why did you slap me?”
That’s why Jesus says, if you want to talk about the law, Jesus says “love thy neighbour as thyself”. How you love yourself, love your neighbour! That’s enough. Jesus says, “I am willing to love my neighbour as myself will I be willing to do this act.” No other reason you can give that you can do this act. He is willing to condescend himself to win the offended brother. There is no other reason that if you slap me this side I give you this side. There’s no other reason than love. Only when you realise that you must have hurt him a lot that you get such a reaction. So, love is more concerned about others than yourself. This is the essence of God’s law. Amen.