Paul's List..........yours?

Romans 12.9-21

Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honour. Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’ No, ‘if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (NRSV)

Tell me a story and you'll have my complete and undivided attention. Give me a list of do's and don't's and well you just lost me. In the passage above, we have a list composed by St. Paul for those who followed his understanding of the Gospel of Jesus in the city of Rome. While as I've stated that I have an aversion to anyone telling me what I should and shouldn't do, I must confess I find Paul's list absolutely beautiful. I'm no theologian, but it seems to me his summary of the way a follower of Jesus should live is spot on.

One might legitimately ask whether Paul lived up to his own list of mandates, and I think the answer is a resounding NO! Paul could be stubborn, condescending, insulting, judgemental, boastful, dismissive and unforgiving to list a few of his less than admirable traits. Just read his letters and "The Act's of the Apostles" in the New Testament and you'll see what I mean. In other words, Paul, like the rest of us, was very human.

This said, his list provides an ideal vision of life as we should live it, and of how we should treat one another. Will we get a perfect score in following Paul's advice.....naw, but oh the beauty of a life-lived trying!