Tuesday, September 22, 2026
Romans 16:17-20
17 I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. 18 For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people. 19 Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I rejoice because of you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil.
20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.
The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.
One of the most powerful tools in organizational leadership is the Karpman Drama Triangle. It describes how we often fall into one of three roles throughout our day:
Victim: This person constantly feels helpless, hopeless, and powerless. They blame peopel for their problems in the hope they will be rescued, thus avoiding solving their own problems.
Rescuer: this person feels like it is their job to save others and they often do it without being asked. They look for projects and people to rescue so that they will feel important and needed.
Persecutor: This person blames, criticizes, and controls others. They are often angry, rigid, and act superior in order to protect themselves for feeling vulnerable and flawed.
The early church was filled with people and therefore filled with the baggage and interpersonal dynamics people often bring. In this situation, there were people who were trying to “cause divisions...use smooth talk...and flattery...to deceive” the people in the community. These kinds of behaviors slot right into the framework of the drama triangle.
As Paul says here, the only surefire way to deal with these situations is to first be honest with the nature of people: they are flawed and prone to be self-interested. The second is to remember the Gospel: that even though we are flawed and self-interested, God died for our sin anyway.
At the heart of how and why we hurt others is that we feel like we need to use the strategies to be safe and feel loved. The good news of the Gospel is that Christ died for us “while we were still sinners.” Jesus has met us in the middle of our wounded story to mend it into something beautiful to share with others.
So, if you see some of these tendencies in you, then confess them. Name them before Jesus and give them up. Then, claim your place in the family as a beloved child. Doing so will set your heart at ease and your feet in motion to serve and love your neighbor.
– Pr. Jason
Jesus, thank you for forgiving me when I mess up. Thank you for giving me the love I need in order to share that love with others. Amen.
