Bible Reading: Romans 12:9-19
Key Verse: Verse 18 – "If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men."
Key Words: If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men
J. Vernon McGee says the following about verses 17 and 18.
“Recompense to no man evil for evil.” The suggestion is that the believer may expect evil at the hands of the world. However, we are not to strike back.
“Provide all things honest in the sight of all men.” There is nothing that can hurt the cause of Christ any more than a dishonest Christian. The non-Christian is not concerned about the doctrine you hold – whether you are a premillennialist or whether you believe in election or free will. However, he does want to know if you are truthful or not, and he does want to know if you pay your honest debts. Are you a person that a man can depend upon? Providing things honest in the sight of all men is a lot better than giving out tracts, my friend. Let me illustrate this.
Some years ago in Memphis, Tennessee, a white man handed a black man a tract. “What is this?” asked the man. The white man replied, “It is a tract and I want you to read it.” “I don’t read,” the man replied, “but I tell you what I will do – I will watch your tracks.” Oh, how accurate that is! The world is watching the tracks that you make, not the tracts you give out. Don’t misunderstand me; giving out gospel tracts is important. But you had better have a life that will back them up when you give out tracts.
“If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably” -- I love this because there are people that you just cannot get along with; they won’t let you get along with them. A dear lady who lived alone, a very wonderful Christian, called me one day in deep concern because she had a neighbor whom she couldn’t get along with, and she wondered if I would come and talk with the neighbor. As I was driving out there, I was thinking that since this lady had been living alone, although she was a Christian, she might be a little difficult herself. So I went out and talked to her neighbor. Well, the neighbor told me what she thought of me as well as this dear lady. I went back to this wonderful Christian and said, “I don’t think you need to worry any more if you can’t get along with her. Nobody can get along with that woman. The Bible says ‘as much as lieth in you’; it doesn’t say you have to get along with her. Just do the best you can.”
What to do:
✞ Just do the best you can.
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