Observation: Paul is making the case to Roman Christians that no one, Jewish nor Gentile, is exempt from sin; therefore no one is exempt from God's judgment. Even Gentiles, who have no special covenant or "deal" with God, and who don't even know God's commandments to the people of Israel, still know right from wrong and go by their own conscience. Those who do have the benefit of God's law have a better roadmap for what God expects of them (not necessarily everyone), yet we still all need grace.
Application: I grew up in a Christian household, but I was pretty young when I realized my friends didn't all believe the same things I did. My best friend in elementary school was the son of a conservative rabbi. Some of my closest friends in middle school, high school and college were secular. I learned an awful lot about kindness and generosity from people of different faiths and belief systems. I also learned early that being a Christian doesn't necessarily make someone a more moral or compassionate person. In some situations, it can even get in the way. Faith should never be worn as a badge of honor, or a character reference. Faith shouldn't puff us up. It should humble us. If we had it all figured out, we wouldn't need God. And if we had nothing to learn from neighbors, God would never have put them in our lives.
Prayer: God, thanks for teaching me through the lives of others. Amen.
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