Romans 12:10–13

We live in an increasingly impersonal age. With cell phones and gadgets ruling the day, kids’ eyes glued to tablet screens, and endless hours being spent by people of all ages scrolling through social media, it seems there’s little need for face-to-face, personal interaction anymore.

Yet if all these technological advances are so capable of providing more and more efficiency, increased global communication, and the transfer of information at mind-boggling speed, why are we so unhappy and unfulfilled? Why does the number of suicides and attempted suicides increase exponentially year after year? Why are massive numbers of teens dropping out of school and winding up hooked on drugs? Why are so many families suffering the painful results of fractured lives, frenzied schedules, and broken commitments?

You guessed it: because we need each other. You need someone and someone needs you. Isolated islands we’re not. To make this thing called life work, we must lean on and support one another in tangible ways. Touch each other. Listen to each other. Be in the same room and interact with each other. And relate and respond. And give and take. And confess and forgive. And reach out and embrace. And release and rely.

Especially in God’s family.

In other words, we must ...

Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honouring each other. Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality (Romans 12:10–13).

Why? Because each one of us is worth it. Even when we don’t act like it or feel like it or deserve it. Just like Christ loved us. It’s called grace.

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Devotional content taken from Good Morning, Lord ... Can We Talk? by Charles R. Swindoll. Copyright ©2018. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries. All rights reserved.