“for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”– Romans 14:17
Imagine that you are at a comedy club waiting for the show to start. The comedian comes out and his opening monologue is an hour-long lecture on the proper technique for laughing; complete with a thorough analysis of posture, breathing technique and voice projection. Do you think the crowd would be falling out in laughter? I doubt it! Why? Because the key to laughter is not knowing how to do it, but encountering something that inspires it. This passage makes a similar point about growing as a Jesus follower (AKA life in the kingdom of God). We don’t become more like Jesus by creating more and more rules and regulations. We become more like Jesus as we encounter Him through time spent with Him. As He lives through us, His righteousness, peace and joy comes out of us. No amount of legislation or education can produce that kind of transformation!
What moral measuring stick, not found in Scripture, do you use to evaluate yourself and others?
