In 2014, biologists captured a pair of orange pygmy seahorses in the Philippines. They collected the marine creatures, along with a section of the orange coral sea fan they called home, for further study. Scientists wanted to know if the pygmy seahorses were born to match the colour of their parents or their environment. When the pygmy seahorses gave birth to dull brown babies, scientists placed a purple coral sea fan into the tank. The babies, whose parents were orange, changed their colour to match the purple sea fan. Due to their fragility by nature, their survival depends on their God-given ability to blend into their environment.
Blending-in is a useful defence mechanism in nature. However, God invites all people to receive salvation and stand out in the world by how we live. The apostle Paul urges believers in Jesus to honour God in every aspect of our lives, to worship Him by offering our bodies as a “living sacrifice” (Romans 12:1). Due to our fragility as human beings affected by sin, our spiritual health as believers depends on the Holy Spirit “renewing” our minds and empowering us to avoid conforming to “the pattern of this world” that rejects God and glorifies sin (v. 2).
Blending into this world means living in opposition to the Scriptures. However, through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can look and love just like Jesus!
By Xochitl Dixon
REFLECT & PRAY
How have you been blending into the world? How has God changed you?
Dear God, please make me more like Jesus each day.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
Paul wrote the book of Romans to believers in Jesus at Rome (Romans 1:7) to show that all human beings are sinners in need of salvation (chs. 1–3), what God did to save us, and how we can have a right relationship with Him (chs. 4–11). After explaining the theological foundations of the gospel (chs. 1–11), the apostle instructed believers in Christ how to live in a right relationship with God ( chs. 12–16). The last four chapters provide a pattern of discipleship, teaching believers how to respond to God’s mercy and grace (12:1–2), how to use spiritual gifts (vv. 3–8), and how to relate to different people in the church and society (12:9–16:27). Though Jesus died to save us, God doesn’t demand that we die for Him. Rather, we’re to live for Him in His perfect will ( 12:1–2), in humility (v. 3), and in unity (vv. 4–8).
K. T. Sim
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