¹⁶ Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.

Verse 16 shows us how to get along together in church.

¹⁶ Live in harmony with one another.

This phrase reads as “having the same attitude toward one another.” Harmony among people begins with attitudes. Mutual understanding is at the heart of harmonious relationships.

Do not be haughty,

Pride makes empathy difficult. The literal rendering is “not thinking high things.” Spiritual Christians do not think too highly of themselves. The ambition of self-seeking glory fosters selfishness and disregards the interests of others. A “haughty” mind grasps after position and power in relation to others. Haughtiness seeks unadulterated ambition, disregarding the interests of others.

but associate with the lowly.

Spiritual Christians accommodate themselves to humble people. Both masters and slaves attended the church at Rome. Both are leveled by sin and brought to the cross at a common meeting place. All are equal at the cross.

“Lowly” refers to things of no great consequence in the opinion of the world. Lowly people, viewed by others as small and insignificant, are valued by the Christian. There is no place for the elite in the local church.

Never be wise in your own sight [estimation].

People who are wise in their own eyes are conceited. Others might not have the same view of ourselves as we do. Overestimation of our ability is an evidence of weakness. Harmony among Christians is impossible until believers have a proper view of themselves. Conceit destroys harmony.

PRINCIPLE:

Pride plows seeds of discord among Christians.

APPLICATION:

Why should we deem ourselves worthy of preferential treatment? Conflict will come out of this attitude.

God does not expect uniformity among Christians but unanimity. We do not have to like how other people operate or what they prefer, but we do need to be attitudinally in unity with them.