by Pastor Rich Carlson

Parting advice is always interesting to me. I find, when my own children are leaving, that I try and be sure the last thing they hear from me is something I want them to remember while they are gone. Often it’s, "I love you." In chapter 16 of Paul’s letter to the believers in Rome, we find his parting words. Paul’s advice is even better than mine has been: Remember, God loves you!—to Him "be glory forever" (16:27).

Besides the expected things, what might parents say as their child leaves? Every morning when I would leave for school my mom would say, "Mind the teacher and do good work!" What else? "Pick good friends; Keep your priorities straight."

Here is some other counsel I found in Paul’s parting words to the Romans:

Treat the friends of God as your own friends—sort of like what parents might say when they know the importance of picking good friends. Paul says, if they are friends of God they probably would make good friends for me

"Greet one another with a holy kiss!" I’m not sure how this one fits within my culture, but I’m sure it has to be better than what the media presents as good kissin’! (16:19)

"Watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way…Stay away from them" (16:17). He defines these as people who use "smooth talk and flattery" to serve their own selfish ambitions (16:18). Another one about choosing good friends. This point must be important!

"Be wise about what is good and innocent about what is evil" (16:19). I really like this one. It shows me that exposing myself to the evils in this world will not help me become a well-rounded person. Exposure to evil only makes me more comfortable around evil and tends toward me compromising with evil and ultimately accepting it. When I learned Spanish a "few" years ago, I never learned enough of it to say bad words. I can remember asking someone, "What did they say?" when I did not understand something, and the response was, "Oh you don’t want to learn that word!" I like the fact that I cannot swear in Spanish!

While in college I worked in a factory where I was exposed to a lot of foul language. I was a committed Christian and feel that I had a positive impact on many of the guys I worked with. But they also had a negative impact on my vocabulary and to this day I can still remember their words. I hope they remember what we talked about—like why I did not go drinking with them or why I had not had sex with my girlfriend—just as much as I remember the words they used to describe life. But I rather doubt this is the case. Sinful nature being what it is, I have found it harder to retain the good than to forget the bad that has come into my life. So I try to be careful about unnecessary exposure to evil so I can give the good a fighting chance. I like not understanding evil.

A friend asked me not long ago how I can come up with Scriptural gems so often. I said, "Pray and read—listen and take notes when God speaks—focus your quiet time on Him." What I knew about this person was his struggle with pornography. If we had not been in a public place I might have reminded him of things we talked about in the past regarding his struggles. If I spend five minutes in God’s word and 90 minutes exposing myself to a movie filled with sex and violence, I know which one I will remember a week from now, and I doubt it would be God’s word! I guess that is just how human nature works!

So Paul’s letter to the Romans and my reaction to his letter conclude about the same way: be wise about good things and ignorant about evil. If I follow this advice, I may not be able to hold small talk about trivia, but I will be a whole lot better off in the things that matter.

Rich Carlson is campus chaplain at Union College in Lincoln, Nebraska. “God Is Faithful” is adapted from the email devotionals he writes regularly for the Union College family. Rich enjoys filling his life with God, his family, and especially his five grandchildren.