Roman emperors are not generally  remembered for their wisdom, but there are a few exceptions. One great thinker was Marcus Aurelius, emperor of Rome from 161 to 180 ad. Gifted with a brilliant mind, he was one of the great intellectual rulers in Western civilisation.

Although he never became a convert to the new faith that would be called Christianity, he displayed remarkable insight. His wisdom reflects the law of God written in the heart of someone who did not have God’s Word (Rom. 2:14-15). For example:

The happiness of your life depends on the quality of your thoughts.

You have power over your mind—not outside events.

Your life is what your thoughts make it.

These words sound similar to Proverbs 23:7, “As [a person] thinks in his heart, so is he.” We can learn helpful principles from non Christians and use their beliefs as common ground for sharing the gospel. When Paul stood on Mars Hill addressing some of the leading intellectuals of his day, he did not belittle their beliefs but established common ground with them and then gave the gospel (Acts 17:26-28).

Let’s look for common ground with our neighbours, so that we may lead them to Christ.

A faith worth having is a faith worth sharing.

Author

Dennis Fisher

Topics

Our Daily Bread