By Dean Collins
What do you want to be known for? Something you make? An achievement at work? What is it that you wish everyone knew about you? I suppose most readers would prefer to live a simple life and avoid being known in some grand way. In our current moment in history, if you are known by many people, it probably came through some form of social media.
Many of us who have Facebook and Instagram accounts have a few hundred or even more “friends and followers.” Generally, we use our accounts to stay connected with friends and family, share personal updates, and, of course, occasionally vent our frustrations.
Research on both traditional media and social media indicates that the stories we post, quote, comment on, and share are dramatically more negative than positive. This means that people are often known more for their mistakes and shortcomings on social media than for the positive things they do.
As Paul closed out his letter to the church in Rome, he said, “For your obedience is known to all.” What a remarkable thing to say about the church in Rome! There were no mobile devices to communicate with, but there were great roads leading into and out of Rome. When we read about the numerous people and groups Paul referenced in the final chapter of Romans, we realize he had information from many churches where believers from Rome had visited. He also received personal reports from people who knew the church in Rome very well. And through all these connections, the message was consistent: believers in Rome were known for their obedience to Christ and His church.
If you are a parent or grandparent, you know the pleasure of hearing someone say that your child or grandchild is so well-behaved. Paul’s compliment about the church in Rome being known for its obedience was about much more than saying they were well-behaved, followed the rules, and had good manners. Paul was describing a church that was serious about following Jesus in every way, especially in how they shared the gospel and made disciples. Their commitment to Jesus and His mission was evident.
Reading these words from Paul challenges us to consider what we need to do differently so that we are known for our faithfulness to Christ and our determination to share the life-changing good news of Jesus.
Father, today we surrender to You. Forgive us for the many times we have been careless in our obedience. Transform us from the inside out so that others can easily see our obedience in action as we live out our faith day by day. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Your Time with God’s Word
Romans 16:19–20 ESV
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