Almost Done - Romans 15

Not only are those who are strong in the gospel be kind to those who are “weak” but “we then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.” This is a pretty straight forward concept, but one that is critically important to someone’s positive feelings towards the gospel. The IM quotes President Gordon B. Hinckley as teaching about a missionary who was struggling that wanted to go home. “He was one of 180 missionaries in that mission. I told him that if he were to go home he would break faith with his 179 companions. Every one of them was his friend. Every one of them would pray for him, fast for him, and do almost anything else to help him. They would work with him. They would teach him. They would get on their knees with him. They would help him learn the language and be successful because they loved him.

I am happy to report that he accepted my assurance that all of the other missionaries were his friends. They rallied around him, not to embarrass him, but to strengthen him. The terrible feelings of loneliness left him. He came to realize that he was part of a winning team. He became successful, a leader, and he has been a leader ever since. That’s what each of us must do for one another.”
One of the fallacies that I think we get caught up in is thinking that we are never or were never the ones who needed to be strengthened. We are not spiritual rock stars all the time and we need each other to get through the times when we are not at 100%. When we serve others, and pray for others, they know that we love them, and when people feel loved, they are open to personal growth.
It’s hard to focus on the needs of others as much as we are required to, and a lot of times we don’t want to, either because we are busy or tired or we want to do something else. And sometimes being kind and helpful to someone forces us to confront our own insecurities, and that’s uncomfortable for us. So when Paul says that we are “not to please ourselves,” it can mean anything to serving when we don’t want to, to reflecting on why we have negative feelings towards someone of some concept.
And interestingly, Paul reminds us that “Christ pleased not himself,” because he only did the work of His Father. There were probably many times when he didn’t want to do something that God wanted him to do, but he did it anyway and he did it with a positive attitude. Jesus’ only focus when he served others was the eternal welfare of the person that he was serving. When we act out of motivation for the genuine well being of someone else, our intentions are pure and we are able to receive divine guidance about what to do and how to help. Our judgment isn’t clouded over by our own personal baggage.
Paul references several Old Testament scriptures while teaching about Christ’s mortal ministry and reminds us that “whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.” The IM comments, “Paul then quoted several Old Testament scriptures to reassure the Saints that missionary work to the Gentiles was in accordance with God’s plan, and he encouraged all Church members to accept one another.”
There are several verses that quote the ancient scriptures talking about circumcision and the Abrahamic covenant and Jesus’ Davidic lineage. Finally, Paul expresses confidence in the Saints in Rome that “ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.” This is important because Paul has spent the majority of his letter admonishing his audience, and the reflection that “hey I know this sounds pretty negative, but I fully believe that you will be able to do this,” sets up the people for success. They probably feel like strengthened warriors instead of scolded children.
Paul ends by speaking of his desire to come to Rome and see the Saints there, but he also wants to come to them by way of Spain. The IM says of Paul’s desire to travel to Spain, “Though it is not known for certain whether Paul ever made it to Spain, there is some evidence suggesting that he did fulfill this desire.”