How to Get Along with Others | Phil Kniesel

Read Romans 12:9-21  

These verses are the basis of what practical living looks like for a Christian. They give insight to what love looks like in the life of a Christian.  

Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. (Romans 12:13-16) 

Key thought in these verses:  Generosity. 

4 Commitments to help you get along with others: 

1. We will be generous with our resources 

• “Share with the Lord’s people who are in need” (vs.13). Share means to be generous (Galatians 6:10). 
• Christians look out for each other.  
• We cannot do this with our eyes only on ourselves. Sharing can only be present when selfishness, envy, and self-pity has stopped. 
• 3 things this entails: 

a) eyes to see 

b) a willingness to part with what one has (Matthew 25:21) 

c) you must be okay with less 

1. We will be generous with our time 

• Practice hospitality (vs. 13). Practice means you try and try again. Hospitality is towards people we don’t know well.  
• Our hospitality always points people to God (Matthew 5:14-16). 

1. We will be generous with our words 

• Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse (vs. 14). 
• Bless means to pray for those you find difficult. Seek the good of those who are tough to get along with.  
• Be generous with your words towards others who are less than generous with their words towards you. 
• Do not curse means don’t talk cheap or bad about others. 
• Jesus said the same thing in Matthew 5:44. 

1. We will be generous with our actions 

• Rejoice with those who rejoice, mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another (vs. 15-16). 
• Develop sympathy for others. Come alongside others in both the good and bad times.  
• It’s harder to be happy for someone than it is to feel sorry for someone. When someone is happy over something, envy can be present inside of us. 
• Don’t make this about you. It’s about others. 
• The older brother in the story of the Prodigal Son teaches us how detrimental it can be to harbor bitterness or envy (Luke 15:28-31). 
• During times of mourning our actions speak more than our words ever can. It’s not about what you say, rather about what you do in those moments. 

Pick one area of generosity (resources, time, words, actions) in which you can grow in this coming week. One area where you would say, “I will commit to building this aspect of generosity in my life.” Pray about it and be ready for the doors God will open.