¹⁷For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. ¹⁸If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too. ¹⁹So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up.

Romans 14:17-19

⁵May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. ⁶Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁷Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory.

Romans 15:5-7

More than anything, I daily desire to walk in peace and joy, in harmony with those around me. Too often I am waylaid because I mistakenly think it is something I need to do, something I can work up within myself.

The ability to love others, to live in harmony, to walk in peace and joy, trying to build others up — that’s a work of the Holy Spirit. It is God who enables me to do the unnatural. Earlier in Paul’s letter to Rome he said this:

…For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

Romans 5:5

Trying to love others and live in harmony with those I disagree with is impossible on my own. Thanks be to God, he has given me all the resources I need, if only I access it. It is the Holy Spirit who fills my heart with HIS love, enabling me to live a life of patient encouragement.

The worst thing is not that I can’t love others on my own, it’s refusing to admit it; pretending that I have the resources to make it possible. But I don’t. Perhaps my daily prayer ought to be this: Father, make me a Romans 5:5 woman — fill my heart with your love and let it overflow and spill on everyone I meet today!

Every day, every where we go, we splash something on those we meet. What are you splashing out? Is it fitting for a follower of Jesus?