Trinity 12
Romans 12: 1-18
I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.
3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgement, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. 4For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, 5so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. 6We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; 7ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; 8the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness.
Do not be conformed to this world – it’s in a whole lotta trouble
Be a transformer instead
Reflection
Cambridge dictionary definition: ‘Conform’ – to behave according to the usual standards of behaviour that are expected by a group or society.
So what are the world’s standards of behaviour? Perhaps we should look to the current behaviour of our world and its leaders, and measure them against the will of God as illustrated and expected by the Commandments, summarised by Jesus as ‘Love God and Love your neighbour.’ If God sent a team of angels to do an audit on current world leadership, what would they find?
- Billionaires using social media to maximise profit by targeting children.
- Reckless destruction of the environment – fossil fuels, deforestation, overfishing.
- Ongoing economic and physical violence against any ‘tribes’ whose values/ traditions/ cultures/ religions differ.
- Fundamentalist and/or populist political leadership telling barefaced lies without shame.
- Deployment of technologies without assessing consequence – weaponised AI, ultra-processed food, uncontrollable Internet.
- Increasing domestic and gender-based violence exacerbated by childhood exposure to adult examples.
So in rejecting these, what would the angelic report offer as alternative non-conforming and positive transformations?
You.
Yes you, with all the baggage you brought and left at the foot of the cross, as you accepted forgiveness and resolved to start again with The Holy Spirit as your guide. All that is needed to put the Commandment to love God and Neighbour into daily practice is for you to commit to do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with Him in your life, and the Victory is sure.
Walking with you, He has overcome the World.
Open your eyes but don’t let go of His hand…
Praying Together 4th May 2025
But difficult as it is to forgive, it is even harder to be forgiven – even though words of forgiveness have been offered, there will be times during early sleepless hours of wondering whether it will ever be possible to forgive oneself.
Praying Together April 27th 2025
The passage from Matthew’s Gospel gives a warning and example against which every Christian teacher and leader must be tested. As fallen humans, everyone will fall short of perfection– but we can measure lives against it.
Praying Together 20th April 2025
So together, morning, noon and night, we shout Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Praying Together 13th April 2025
He is sinless, we were not – but He takes our sin unto Himself, allowing us the freedom to choose to serve His purpose rather than our own
Praying Together 6th April 2025
Everyone runs in her own way, or his own way. And where does the power come from, to see the race to its end? From within. Jesus said, ‘Behold, the Kingdom of God is within you.
Praying Together 30th March 2025
As Julian of Norwich wrote, ‘the example of a mother’s service is closest, most willing, and most sure because it is most true’, and thus we use that example as part of our Lenten journey.
Praying Together 23rd March 2025
God gives us the freedom to make that choice, and will always offer us another chance when we fail, as He did to the barren fig tree.
Praying Together 16 March 2025
Unlike the other tragic heroes, Jesus has no flaw or blemish other than those inflicted by others: the scars on His back, the thorn-blood on His forehead, the betrayal by His friend.
Praying Together March 9th 2025
God’s demand for perfection need not discourage you in the least in your present attempts to be good, or even in your present failures.
Praying Together 2nd March 2025
God of the nations, whose sovereign rule brings justice and peace, have mercy on our broken and divided world.
Praying Together 23 February 2025
Meditation for the Second Sunday before Lent CollectAlmighty God,you have created the heavens and the earthand made us in your own image:Teach us to discern your hand in all your worksand your likeness in all your children;through Jesus Christ our Lord,who with you...
Praying Together 16th February 2025
And if you accept Him as Lord, allow Him to lead you as you walk into the future without looking back, and do what He has equipped you to do as His body on earth