Some of my fondest childhood memories include long summer days at the pool. These memories are filled with flipping off the diving board, shouting “Marco Polo,” and of course, playing King of the Mountain. The goal of King of the Mountain was to be the only one on top of the raft, ruling your kingdom by any means necessary. Growing up with brothers, I had to be scrappy and strategic to win this brutal game. From a young age, I learned that only the strong survive.
I’m told that as a grown-up, it’s not cool to push people off rafts at the pool. The thing is, though, we still want to be on top. We just have different rafts now, and we’ve learned to defend our turf in more covert, “polite” ways.
So much of how we respond has to do with the season we’re in. When we’re treading water, we hope and pray for a gracious hand to help us onto the raft. But when we’re on top, it’s easy to become prideful in our position. It gets especially ugly when we believe there isn’t enough room on the raft for everyone. Even in the Church, we can foster the belief that the kingdom of God only has space for the “good” people, whether we’re conscious of it or not.
In our reading for today, Paul was writing to a Roman church composed of two very different people groups: the Jews and the Gentiles. Even from its earliest days, it seems there were divisions among the believers in that region. Those who were “strong” didn’t want to help those they considered weak. But Paul challenged the Romans to accept one another, just as Christ had accepted them (Romans 15:7).
Paul points out that even the strongest among us, Jesus Christ, did not use His power to please Himself. If anybody had a right to boast, it was the Lord, yet He took our weakness upon Himself to the point of sacrificing His very life.
We are all in need of God’s grace. In that humility, we can seek to be like Jesus Christ, freely passing on the strength and encouragement gifted to us. If the Lord of the universe humbled Himself and bore our weaknesses, how much more eager should we be to do the same for those whom He’s placed around us?
In addition to following the sacrificial example of Jesus, Paul also calls the Roman church to accept one another for the glory of God. When we’re competitive and exclusive in our churches, how do you suppose we’re seen from the outside? Our witness is compromised by our selfishness. But if we’re a countercultural people and can demonstrate with love and sincerity that there is room at the table of God, then we will have something divinely different to offer.
It’s tempting to believe the lie of this world that we must fight to be on top. But in the kingdom of God, there is always enough for everyone. As believers, we’re called to lay down our lives for others just as Christ did, to love both the strong and the weak. If we stop trying to protect our little rafts, together we will glorify and join in celebration with the one true King, who lives and reigns over all the mountains.
I am no perfect person! @MIA FAITH – praying for you sweet sister. I can only imagine what you have all been through but I pray things will get easier for you. Sometimes it doesn’t always make sense why we have to go through so much heartbreak. Praying for you!!
Happy Thursday! What a great reminder today. I feel as though I am secretly competitive with myself. I feel like I have to volunteer for everything and if I don’t then I’m not as good as whoever did volunteer. Does that make sense? I am
Amen, Laura!!
Prayers lifted up on behalf of our dear she’s….
@JEN B: praying for your new job whenever you might start, and good relationship.
@SHARON JERSEY GIRL: praise God for Arian’s new place and bigger provision.
Prayers lifted up on behalf of our dear she’s.
@HEIDI: grace for Kin to adjust well to her new environment, and be surrounded with kind and sweet friends, teachers.
@TERESA DONLEY: healing from diabetes and grace for weight loss regime.
@LYNN FROM AL, NANCY S: treatment for your dear husbands, more strength for you.
@LEHUA K: prayers for your family, community through this wildfire. So sorry!
@MICHELLE P: praying for your car fix expense. Loved the testimony, your story today.
@MIA FAITH: was thinking of you. Praying for your family in this season. Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning (Psalm 30:5). Seasons don’t last forever. They change.
@SEARCHING: So glad to hear the update. Praise the Lord for the quick turnaround.❤️
@KELLY (NEO): amen about “serving over status”. This could be on a tee-shirt :) Pride surely loves status. A good way to check, if we are okay being the servant of all. May we remember that “status” is not our reward, but God Himself is our reward so we don’t lose sight why we run this race.❤️
Be blessed dear sisters. Very thankful for your collective wisdom and daily faithfulness!
Sharon, Jersey Girl – I’m thankful that Arian has a place to live, and join you in praying that God will work in big ways to provide the funds necessary to stay there.
Lifting in prayer:
Heidi – thank you for the beautiful story of Kin’s day at school yesterday. Isn’t God amazing to send just the right friends at just the right time? Praising God for His care of Kin, and asking that today is a good day for her as well. Praying that her anxiety will lessen with each hour. May God bless you with peace as you wait through each day.
Sarah D and all other teachers – for the new school year to be exciting and successful for you and for your students
Searching, Cee Gee – thank you so much for your prayers and for your wonderful words of encouragement. I’ll be holding onto them each day.
Tia Watkins – that you will feel God’s love and direction in each day
Laura – for you daughter, her partner, and your son, that they will hear God’s message to them in their hearts. And for you, as you struggle with the feelings of this situation. My favorite verse, especially is Zechariah 4:6 “Not by power, nor by might, but by my Spirit, says the Lord God Almighty.” God’s got this.
Mia Faith – for salvation for your children and grandchildren.
LEHUA K. – I’ve been praying for you all day since I first heard the news of the devastation on Maui. I’m so glad to hear that you are out of harm’s way. And glad that most of your family are accounted for. I am praying for the safety of your parents and that you are able to communicate with them very soon. I’m praying that God wraps you in a blanket of His love and comfort, and gives you His peace in your heart through the waiting.
Father, please be with the people of Hawaii, especially those on Maui. Bless the firefighters and other first responders; keep them safe and direct them in putting out the flames and rescuing victims. Please be with Lehua’s family, especially her parents, and keep them safe. I pray that LEHUA is soon able to communicate with her parents. Bless her in the waiting with your peace that passes all understanding. We thank you, Father, that we can turn to you in times of disaster, and be assured of your Presence and comfort , not only for ourselves, but for those in harm’s way as well. Thank You for hearing, and answering my prayer, and for the sense of peace that comes from talking with You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Echoing other Lehua, prayers for your family and all in harms way. I hope you hear from them today. Sisters lifting all requests on hearts, lips and minds.