Subject: Love One Another - Romans 12

Romans 12:10 (ESV Strong's)
Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.

Subject:  Love One Another

Let's look at the above verse in several other versions of the Bible:

Romans 12:10 (KJV)
Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;

Romans 12:10 (NIV 1984)
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.

Romans 12:10 (NASB Strong's)
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor;

Each of these versions gives us something of the meaning in the original language.   The key thought, despite some of the different word choices is, we are to put others before ourselves.   We are to prefer others before us and shower honor on them.  The word in the Greek of honor is "time" (pronounced, "tee-may" in the Greek).   It means to give proper value to something or someone.  In 1 Peter 3:7 husbands are to give "honor" to their wife ... They are to show proper value to her.   In the Body of Christ we are to show proper tee-may, value, to others in the Body, even above ourselves.   Paul has been writing this entire letter to the believing Jews and the believing Gentiles at Rome.  The Jews were tempted to think their "form" of Christian Faith was more valuable than that of the Gentiles.   Since "they" were God's chosen people, the Jews were tempted to make Gentile believers less valuable in the Body.   Paul corrects that, here!!   We can do the same thing, but not only across ethnic lines.   We can also do so in regard to which spiritual gifts are more important (another contextual application, here).   We can think we are better than other Christians across socio-economic lines.    Paul says, NO!!   We are to love one another and do so in such a way that we "outdo" (ESV version) each other in our attempt to show others their value.   We often value ourselves over others.  Paul turns that upside down and says to value others over ourselves.   That approach will solve almost all the problems in churches, organizations, communities and countries.  That is Christianity at its best!