Day 211: Rules of the Road

Today’s Scripture: Romans 12:1-21

Central Thought: Godly living makes for a better life.

A friend once told me about a favorite phrase one of his high school teachers. It was ‘the rules of the road.” He used this phrase to refer to principles that could help his students in life. Whenever he would share one of these principles, he would follow it by saying, ‘That’s the rules of the road.”

As we travel life’s highway, we do well to keep in mind the various ‘rules of the road” the Bible gives us. Several of these appear in Romans 12.

We might word one rule like this: ‘Don’t be too quick to conform.” Paul urged his readers to sacrifice themselves for Christ (verse 1) and to be a non-conformist to the world’s mores and habits (verse 2). If we make it our aim to do the former, we will naturally accomplish the latter.

We could word another this way: ‘Keep a sensible view of yourself.” In verses 3 through 8, Paul encouraged every reader to avoid having an inflated self-image. Instead, he said that believers should serve God and one another, utilizing the gifts God has blessed them with.

Finally, Paul urged godly living (verses 9-21). Those who follow his instructions in this passage will genuinely love each other. They will even show a loving attitude toward those who have been less than loving toward them.

Adopt these ‘the rules of the road.” Then, as you continue your journey down life’s highway, you will find that the trip will be better because you lived by these principles.

Devotional Prayer: Father, let these principles continue in my thinking and remain apparent in my living as I journey through life.

Today’s Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 24:1-25:28; Romans 12:1-21; Psalm 22:19-31; Proverbs 20:8-10