Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.
Romans 12:16
School starts in two days. Another batch of eighth graders will saunter into my room. Delirious in the their position as reigning class of the middle school, they hide their first day jitters with excited chatter in the hall while stepping confidently around stumbling and bewildered sixth graders.
The nerves show up in class, though. They slip into their new rooms, suddenly unnaturally subdued. They obediently complete book checkout cards and introductory letters. Their feet rest quietly on the floor, their eyes focus intently on the teacher, they barely sneak a look at their friends, much less turn around and begin an unauthorized conversation.
Too bad it doesn't last.
The middle school heirarchy is clear. Eighth graders rule for those few short months, even as the terrifing spector of freshman year looms over them. Harmony isn't necessarily a word accossiated with middle school, but many of them do reach out to help the younger children. An amazing young leadership team at our school, partners with the incoming class and encourages them throughout the year.
It's hard to imagine who qualified as the low position in ancient Roman churches. These fledgling congregations Paul addresses could hardly be considered high. So why the need to tell them to reach out to the marginalized? Wouldn't that describe themselves? Maybe we never really manage to accept that, no matter where we are. We move through life up and then down then up again. Terrified sixth graders and confident eighth, freshman underdogs and mighty seniors. New jobs, new homes, new familes, always starting over, always being the new one somewhere. Love comes in remembering. It comes in looking above and knowing who we really are, then looking below to hold out a hand.