Instructions That Make Us Uncomfortable

This past Sunday I had the privilege of preaching on Romans 12:16 "Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be conceited."  Sometimes it's helpful to make people see the awkwardness of carrying out some commands.  For instance, in order to "associate with the lowly," you must make a judgment call on them; you must acknowledge that they are actually in that category.  The term "lowly" doesn't reflect God's estimate of them, but their estimate of themselves and possibly the estimate of some in the faith-family.  Anyway, don't shy away from pointing out how uncomfortable such a command can be.  One congregant said to me afterwards, "I hope too many people don't come up to talk to me after this teaching because it will make me feel like I'm lowly."  Exactly.  We have to come to grips with how uncomfortable a command is for us at times, before we can know what it means and how to apply our lives to such Scripture.