Conviction spread through my psyche like the heat of a habanero spreads from your mouth to your pores. In reading through the Bible this year, I arrived at Romans 12, where Paul lays out his thoughts on living as a Christ-follower to the church members in Rome. Simple to read, complicated to live. I have a long way to go. Here’s what stood out to me, verse-by-verse:

Verse 1: “Present yourself as a sacrifice.” Sacrifices don’t have rights, they are given away to be used by another. More on this later.

Verse 2: “Do not be configured by the age, but be transformed by the renewal of the intellect.” Where is this age configuring me? Twisting me? Turning me?

Verse 3: Think soberly, keep a clear head. Your faith, if it is a Christian faith, requires it.

Verses 4-8: Serve as you are gifted.

Verse 9: Love sincerely, not as a hypocrite.

Verse 10: Preference other people before you.

Verse 11: Slave away for the Lord. As in, work really, really hard with no recognition.

Verse 12: Endure affliction and persevere in prayer. Suffering is part of the journey.

Verse 13: Provide for the needy by being hospitable.

Verse 14: Bless, don’t curse, your persecutor.

Verse 15: Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Pay attention to others and respond accordingly.

Verse 16: Stay humble (if there is one thing God hates, it’s pride).

Verse 17: Do not repay evil for evil.

Verse 18: Be at peace with all. Turn the other cheek (as a famous person once said).

Verse 19: Revenge, a dish best served cold, belongs to the Lord. Apparently, God keeps a record and settles old scores. We may not take an eye for an eye (see verse 17), but the Lord reserves the right to do so.

Verse 20: Pile your enemy with food and drink. Your kindness may lead to their repentance (i.e. “heap burning coals upon their head).

Verse 21: Extinguish evil with good.

What a list. I’m not sure I’m doing so well – how about you? Described here is not a therapeutic faith existing primarily to meet our needs and salve our wounds. Rather, Paul lays out a counter-cultural lifestyle of clear-headed thinking, hard work and service. This includes taking blows from others without retaliating, rejecting wisdom promoted by the world and staying ever humble. Small wonder so few step this direction.

How to even start living this life? Remember verse one. By thoughtfully giving God everything you have and everything you are and everything you will be, in other words, “presenting yourself as a living sacrifice,” you open yourself to the Lord. His hands mold you, while the Holy Spirit empowers you to live as Paul recommends.

I’ve seen sacrifices in other parts of the world, gifts to the gods, including food & drink, money and even live animals. Paul used imagery that was common in his day, but now much harder for us to imagine. The life of the animal serving as a sacrifice is taken, never to return. It is bloody and final. Dead on the ground.

Thankfully we remain a “living sacrifice,” one God uses to serve and care for others. A sacrifice that reminds the world of God’s goodness and presence, one alive and transformed to live out God’s good, acceptable and perfect will. A will that involves suffering, humility, and loving those we don’t like. Did I mention earlier that I have a long way to go?