ROMANS - CONCLUSION

For some reason I either didn't pay careful attention - or just flat-out forgot that Tertius, who was Paul's ghost-writer, actually tells us his name in the concluding chapter of Romans - and adds his own personal greetings and comments. The reality that someone wrote Paul's letters for him is well known. He references adding his name in his own hand as mentioned in 2 Thessalonians 3:17 - but I found it particularly noteworthy, noting Tertius' inserted greeting in Chapter 16 of Romans. It is a reminder that none of the writings we have from Paul would have existed without someone to help him make that happen. It is also another reminder of Paul's 'thorn in the flesh.'

We all have them - the thorns. Yet, our faith is most visible when we are faithful in spite of circumstances and thorns.

In a bunny-trail sort-of-way it reminds me of an email I recently received:
It was the coldest winter ever. Many animals died because of the cold. The porcupines, realizing the situation, decided to group together to keep warm. This way they covered and protected themselves; but the quills of each one wounded their closest companions. After awhile, they decided to distance them- selves one from the other but they began to die, alone and frozen. So they had to make a choice: either accept the quills of their companions or disappear from the Earth. Wisely, they decided to go back to being together. They learned to live with the little wounds caused by the close relationship with their companions in order to receive the warmth that came from the others. This way they were able to survive. Moral of the story: The best relationship is not the one that brings together perfect people, but when each individual learns to live with the imperfections of others and can admire the other person's good qualities.

We need each other. In spite of the prickles that we get in human company. If we walk away from prickly situations we are the one who is left out. In the cold. To die.

Really, when it comes down to it, it is all about unconditional love and forgiveness. We are told to forgive 70 times 7 times. It doesn't mean love doesn't have boundaries, but they have to be Christ-centered.