“We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification. For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me.” – Romans 15:1-3
The Christian life calls us to embrace attitudes that run completely opposite to the values of the world. Instead of self‑promotion, Scripture calls us to self‑sacrifice. Instead of demanding our rights, we are invited to lay them down for the good of others. Paul begins with a powerful command in Romans 15:1: “We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves.” To “bear” another’s burden doesn’t mean tolerating them from a distance—it means getting under the weight with them. It means walking beside a struggling brother or sister until they grow in understanding and freedom. This is the heart of true Christian love: choosing to carry what is heavy for someone else.
But Paul doesn’t stop there. He calls us to a second attitude—disregard for self. In a world obsessed with self‑interest, Paul says, “Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification” (Romans 15:2). Christian liberty is never about flaunting our freedoms; it is about building others up. And our greatest example is Christ Himself. Philippians 2:5–8 tells us that Jesus, though fully God, “made Himself of no reputation,” taking the form of a servant and humbling Himself to the point of death. If the Son of God laid aside His rights for our sake, how can we cling tightly to ours? This leads to the third attitude—conformity to Christ. Romans 15:3 reminds us, “For even Christ did not please Himself.” He lived in full submission to the Father, bearing reproach, enduring suffering, and choosing obedience over comfort. Like clay in the potter’s hands, we are shaped when we surrender our preferences to God’s will. Like a lighthouse standing firm in a storm, we shine brightest when we endure hardship for His name. And like a wise gardener tending each plant uniquely, we grow when we stop forcing others to be like us and instead nurture them with grace.
These attitudes—bearing burdens, disregarding self, and conforming to Christ—form the foundation of unity in the body of Christ. They tear down walls, heal divisions, and reflect the heart of our Savior. When we choose love over liberty, service over self, and Christ’s will over our own, we become a people who move together with one heart and one voice. This is the unity God desires, the unity Jesus prayed for, and the unity the Spirit empowers.
Ask God to help you embrace these Christlike attitudes today. Look for someone whose burden you can help carry. Choose to set aside a personal preference for the sake of another believer’s growth. Surrender your will to God’s shaping hand, trusting Him to form Christ in you. As you do, you will strengthen the unity of the church and reflect the heart of the One who did not please Himself but gave everything for us.
“A Christian must deny his private will for God’s will. Self‑denial is the first principle of Christianity.”
—Thomas Watson
surrendered devotions 