affirming our friends
Give my greetings to Priscilla and Aquila…
I try to lead a Family Bible Time in our home each morning. Today it happened as morning was almost over and noon was fast approaching.
I’ll confess right up front here that our transition to Salida was a major disruption to this rhthym. We’ve been reading Romans together, and I think we read Romans 15 back at the end of February! So this morning, we were going to finally finish.
The last chapter.
Romans 16.
Filled with a list of names, and Paul’s greetings.
Huh.
Have you ever been struck by this? I mean, this is the Bible. The Holy Scriptures. Inspired by the Holy Spirit to communicate God’s words to us and to tell us his story. And of all the things that we might need from God for faith and practice, we find the magisterial letter from Paul to the Romans ending with….greetings to friends.
Why would that be?
I can’t authoritatively answer that question this afternoon. But what I can say is what I felt it taught me. Namely, Connection and Community are real, important, and valuable.
< Pause here a moment >
…if you have time, go and read Romans 16.
I’ll put it down at the end of this post for you.
The rest of my musings will make more sense if you do…
< ok, un-pause >
Consider: the reason Paul is sending along greetings is that he actually had friends! People he was close to and worked with to spread the message of the Good News of Jesus there in Rome. People he partnered with to see the church thrive and grow. Relationships were important to Paul, so important that he wanted to call them out as he wrote.
Consider further: Paul knew these people well. So well that he was able to be very specific in his greetings. Here’s just a sampling…
“Welcome Phoebe in the Lord as one who is worthy of honor among God’s people.” (16:2)
”Give my greetings to Priscilla and Aquila, my co-workers in the ministry of Christ Jesus.” (16:3)
”Greet my dear friend Epenetus. He was the first person from the province of Asia to become a follower of Christ.” (16:5)
”Greet Apelles, a good man whom Christ approves.” (16:10)
”Greet Rufus, whom the Lord picked out to be his very own…” (16:13)
Consider finally: I think Paul understood the importance and value of affirmation. Of public affirmation. Don’t forget that this letter would have been read aloud in the churches.
So imagine you are one of the people in that list I just gave you above. You’re Phoebe, and you’re sitting among the saints, and it gets read aloud, “Welcome Phoebe in the Lord as one who is worthy of honor among God’s people.” Imagine how great that would make you feel. Imagine if you were in church this Sunday, and the pastor said something super encouraging about you to the rest of the congregation because of some way you had served Jesus. Wouldn’t that be amazing?! You’d walk out of church that day, ready to take on the world.
This makes me realize we should do this far more often in the church. We should practice public affirmation. Instead of getting all worked up and worried about all the common reasons people give in church for not doing this—”you’re going to fuel someone’s pride,” “we can’t recognize this person without recognizing that person,” “we can’t play favorites”—we should actually follow the lead of an Apostle of Jesus and practice affirmation! I mean, maybe it would actually just plain encourage us, as well as maybe inspire the rest of us to do wonderful things for God and others. And maybe all those other reasons for not doing so are really just pretty brilliant tactics from the evil one for keeping us from mutually encouraging each other to love and good deeds.
So, can we do this or what?
And just to be clear, because tone doesn’t come through on the screen: I’m asking that question right there with a smile on my face, and not with any tinge of anger or bluster or condemnation. I want us to do this because it’s actually fun to say something nice about another person. It’s a hoot to recognize and honor the good that people do. It’s like giving them—and everyone around them—a gift. And all it costs you is a little thought and intentionality to speak affirmation into their souls.
Let’s do this, dear reader.
And just one other thing, connected to the illustration above: we don’t have to wait until Sunday. We don’t have to leave it to pastors or leaders.
We can do this.
Anytime.
Anywhere.
How about publicly recognizing someone today for something great they did?
Do it at the supper table tonight as a family.
Do it at your little happy hour gathering of friends.
Do it at the place you work, of a co-worker or boss or someone who works for you.
Do it for the person who serves you at the coffee shop.
Let’s recognize the grace of God at work among us.
Romans Chapter 16, New Living Translation
Paul Greets His Friends
I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a deacon in the church in Cenchrea. 2 Welcome her in the Lord as one who is worthy of honor among God’s people. Help her in whatever she needs, for she has been helpful to many, and especially to me.
3 Give my greetings to Priscilla and Aquila, my co-workers in the ministry of Christ Jesus. 4 In fact, they once risked their lives for me. I am thankful to them, and so are all the Gentile churches. 5 Also give my greetings to the church that meets in their home.
Greet my dear friend Epenetus. He was the first person from the province of Asia to become a follower of Christ. 6 Give my greetings to Mary, who has worked so hard for your benefit. 7 Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow Jews, who were in prison with me. They are highly respected among the apostles and became followers of Christ before I did. 8 Greet Ampliatus, my dear friend in the Lord. 9 Greet Urbanus, our co-worker in Christ, and my dear friend Stachys.
10 Greet Apelles, a good man whom Christ approves. And give my greetings to the believers from the household of Aristobulus. 11 Greet Herodion, my fellow Jew. Greet the Lord’s people from the household of Narcissus. 12 Give my greetings to Tryphena and Tryphosa, the Lord’s workers, and to dear Persis, who has worked so hard for the Lord. 13 Greet Rufus, whom the Lord picked out to be his very own; and also his dear mother, who has been a mother to me.
14 Give my greetings to Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers and sisters who meet with them. 15 Give my greetings to Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and to Olympas and all the believers who meet with them. 16 Greet each other with a sacred kiss. All the churches of Christ send you their greetings.
Paul’s Final Instructions
17 And now I make one more appeal, my dear brothers and sisters. Watch out for people who cause divisions and upset people’s faith by teaching things contrary to what you have been taught. Stay away from them. 18 Such people are not serving Christ our Lord; they are serving their own personal interests. By smooth talk and glowing words they deceive innocent people. 19 But everyone knows that you are obedient to the Lord. This makes me very happy. I want you to be wise in doing right and to stay innocent of any wrong. 20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.
21 Timothy, my fellow worker, sends you his greetings, as do Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater, my fellow Jews.
22 I, Tertius, the one writing this letter for Paul, send my greetings, too, as one of the Lord’s followers.
23 Gaius says hello to you. He is my host and also serves as host to the whole church. Erastus, the city treasurer, sends you his greetings, and so does our brother Quartus.
25 Now all glory to God, who is able to make you strong, just as my Good News says. This message about Jesus Christ has revealed his plan for you Gentiles, a plan kept secret from the beginning of time. 26 But now as the prophets foretold and as the eternal God has commanded, this message is made known to all Gentiles everywhere, so that they too might believe and obey him. 27 All glory to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, forever. Amen.
