Am I My Brother’s Keeper?
📖 Devotional Reflection on Romans 14:7
Oswald Chambers reminds us that no believer lives in isolation—our lives ripple outward, affecting those around us. “None of us liveth to himself” (Romans 14:7). This truth challenges the independent mindset that often creeps into our thinking. We were not redeemed to drift through life with a private faith, untouched by the needs of others. Rather, we are intricately connected in Christ’s body, called to reflect His life in every relationship.
When we yield to Christ as our functional source of living, His love flows through us to others. Yet, if we allow self-interest to govern our choices—whether in physical indulgence, mental laziness, or spiritual dullness—those around us will experience the weight of our neglect. What we tolerate in private will inevitably affect the whole. This is not a call to self-exertion but to resting in the One who is our sufficiency. “Our sufficiency is of God, and of Him alone.”
A witness, in God’s sense of the word, is not merely one who speaks, but one whose life radiates Christ. Chambers describes it as being “broken bread and poured-out wine,” echoing Paul’s words in Philippians 2:17 about being poured out as a drink offering. This is not loss; it is life at its fullest—Christ living through us, reaching others through our yieldedness. The question is not whether we will influence others, but what kind of influence we will be.
Illustration: The Overflowing Cup
Imagine a cup positioned under a flowing spring. As it remains under the source, it fills and overflows, spilling fresh water onto everything nearby. The cup does not strain to pour itself out—it simply receives and overflows. In the same way, when we rest in Christ, our lives become vessels of His grace, touching those around us effortlessly. But if we step away from the source, what remains in us will stagnate, and those near us will no longer receive the refreshing life of Christ.
Application
Recognize that your walk with Christ is not merely personal—it impacts those around you.
Yield to the indwelling Spirit moment by moment, allowing His life to flow through you.
Rest in the sufficiency of Christ, knowing that He enables you to be His witness.
Remember that spiritual influence is not about effort but about abiding.
Prayer
Father, You have made us members of Your body, intricately connected and dependent upon Christ as our source of life. We trust You to live through us, touching others with Your love and truth. Thank You that our sufficiency is not in ourselves but in You alone. May our lives be an overflow of Your presence, drawing others into deeper fellowship with You. In Christ, we rest and abide. Amen.
📷 Photo Credit: Unsplash
📖 Devotional Credit: Oswald Chambers, "My Utmost for His Highest"