Romans 15:22-33
22 This is why I have often been hindered from coming to you.
23 But now that there is no more place for me to work in these regions, and since I have been longing for many years to visit you, 24 I plan to do so when I go to Spain. I hope to see you while passing through and to have you assist me on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while. 25 Now, however, I am on my way to Jerusalem in the service of the Lord’s people there. 26 For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the Lord’s people in Jerusalem. 27 They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews’ spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings. 28 So after I have completed this task and have made sure that they have received this contribution, I will go to Spain and visit you on the way. 29 I know that when I come to you, I will come in the full measure of the blessing of Christ.30 I urge you, brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me. 31 Pray that I may be kept safe from the unbelievers in Judea and that the contribution I take to Jerusalem may be favorably received by the Lord’s people there, 32 so that I may come to you with joy, by God’s will, and in your company be refreshed. 33 The God of peace be with you all. Amen.
Are you a proud person? Am I? Was the early Church? Maybe, Yes, and No. I see three instances of how pride can show itself in this passage and maybe we can learn something by looking at those. First of all Paul previously talked about his personal desire in using his gifts was to boldly go where no man has gone before. He didn't want to build on another man's foundation. There are dangers in this attitude. I've known some proud men who have entered the ministry with that attitude - "I'm not going to pastor an existing church, I'm going to start my own". Many times this is done to make a name for themselves. Sometimes it may be that they don't feel called to straighten up someone else's mess, they want to start from scratch. Maybe they feel that they don't want to be under the authority that the established church was under. Maybe they just know the time is short and the whole world needs to hear. I think this is where Paul is coming from. Paul was so humble that he thought nothing of making a statement like, "if someone has already been there I don't want to go." He didn't consider this proud at all because his motives were pure. The gospels do say that when everyone has heard, the Lord will return. There is nothing wrong with wanting to speed His return.
Secondly Paul basically says, "It's time to move on, everyone here has heard". This could sound like a proud statement saying "I have done such a good job that everyone here has heard and I'm done here", except that Paul knew he didn't do anything - it was Christ in Him. All the glory should go to God not Paul and he knew that so he could make statements like that. This takes away all pride in "our" accomplishments when we know we are nothing and He is everything. He gets all the glory for anything "I" have accomplished.
Lastly, money and pride. Tim Keller calls money "self-esteem units". In this passage we see two thoughts that make me cringe because I am a proud person. First of all he basically asks them to pay for his travel to Spain in verse 24. I have a very hard time asking people for money. I feel like a beggar and I'm too proud to beg. Paul isn't. He knows that as believers all money belongs to God. He is just asking them to free up a little of God's money just as the churches in Asia minor did for the church in Jerusalem. He knows that if he had money he would give it away to the church in Rome if they needed it. Are you too proud to ask the church for help. Or, the second issue, are you too proud to receive help when it is given you. The Church in Jerusalem who were Jews were about to receive money from gentiles and he was concerned they would be too proud to receive it. When we realize that we are all equal in the eyes of God, accepting money from someone doesn't put us lower than them. We are all equal. Accept it thankfully as from God giving it to you through one of His earthly messengers.
Lord, once again I need your help. I am so proud. Help me to see that without you I am nothing. That all men are equal at the foot of the cross. That everything I have or accomplish in life I owe it all to you. Amen
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