Romans 12:10

From verse 9 to the end of our chapter the prominent thought is not service, but fruitfulness, not work, but the virtues proper to every day living. It is Christ lived in every detail of life. Let us then meditate well on these simple exhortations, for they hold the secret of much blessing for our souls.

In Romans 12 the gifts are seen in connection with the house of God, and therefore are manifested in the relation of one saint to another. It ranges from that which is exercised in the assembly, such as ministering, teaching, exhorting, to that which is exercised amongst the saints in their intercourse one with another, such as being "kindly affectioned one to another," giving, showing hospitality, and so on.

Then there is the circle of "brotherly love" — the Christian circle: in this we are to be "kindly affectioned one to another." This is tender consideration as in a closely attached family.

Our affection to one another should flow from our relationship as "brethren", and not simply because of some quality which may be attractive or advantageous to us.

The teaching of the Spirit in this verse seems to be, that Christians should cherish for each other, as brethren in Christ, a love as sincere and tender as if they were the nearest relatives. And this love is to be manifested, not merely in repaying the attentions of others, but in anticipating them in acts of respect and kindness. All Christians are brethren, but as they belong to different families in this life, and called by different names, there is nothing to distinguish them but brotherly love. If this fails, what is left?

A brother, through the power of Satan, may be walking disorderly, or he may fall into error, and so become a proper subject of discipline; towards such an one our conduct must be changed, though our love remains the same, or even stronger.

As regard honor, rather than seeking it for ourselves, let us delight in paying it to other saints — drawing attention to their virtues and work rather than our own.

Brotherly love would make us ready to let others have honour rather than grasping it for ourselves.

Instead of waiting, as we often do, for others to notice us, before we notice them, we should strive to be beforehand with them in the manifestation of our christian respect, or "honour." There is in some a false modesty, in others a secret pride, which leads them to slip quickly out of a meeting, thereby preventing those from speaking to them who gladly would. And this having been continued for some time, the brethren are complained of as cold, and as showing no love to strangers. But, pray, who is at fault? Let the word of the Lord decide.

The meaning is not exactly to esteem others better than ourselves, as in Philippians 2:3, important as such lowliness of mind is, the mind that was in Christ Jesus; but rather that we should seek to take the lead in these comely ways of our Father's house. And the heart that meditates most deeply on the love of Christ to usward, will be the first to feel that our love to the brethren is not to be governed by cold formalities, but by the measure, and pattern of His love to us.

Will the flesh, still in us, "cleave to that which is good," or, "in honour preferring one another," or will it "bless them which persecute you"? Nay, it will ever persecute that which is born of the Spirit.

characterised by devotedness and obedience … stamped with humility and dependence.

Nor must this decrease our own diligent zeal, leaving us slothful, as is often a tendency when we see others honored and not ourselves. But let us rather maintain a true inward fervency of spirit that preserves from every discouragement and makes us not dependent upon the approval of men. Thus, "serving the Lord" will be a very real thing to us — no mere formal phrase or idealistic sentiment.