Fresh Start Devotionals

Harmony Paul gives us a key to getting along with others in Romans 12:16. I particularly like the New Living Translation rendering of the verse, “Live in harmony with each other. Don’t try to act important, but enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!” Paul didn’t tell us to live in melody with each other. Those singing the melody line of a piece of music follow the primary tune of the composition. Like strands of a cable, their voices blend together to form a strong, uniform sound. They sing the primary notes. The harmony adds depth to the melody. Some harmony is very tight, like a barber shop quartet, other is much looser like the sounds of Jazz. Though a dissonant harmony is difficult to perform, it adds a dimension to the piece that excites the discriminating listener. Paul told us to live in harmony with one another. Harmony is a sound that compliments the melody; it is not the same note, but a complimentary one. It is not a wrong note, just a different one. Living in harmony with one another doesn’t mean we have to have the same views, preferences, and convictions. Our Creator made us unique, and our experiences give us perspective. Paul teaches us to celebrate our differences and sing our part, but to sing the same piece of music. Whether you wait tables in a restaurant, perform brain surgery in an operating room or preach sermons in a church, you must have people skills to succeed. Though people skills can never replace technical expertise, few people achieve their potential without knowing how to work with others. Instead of trying to get others to agree with you, why not see if you can sing harmony to their melody. This is possible when you follow Paul’s advise: “Don’t try to act important, but enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!” Jim L. Wilson, Fresh Start Devotionals (Fresno, CA: Willow City Press, 2009).