我訂購了一個需要自己組裝的書架，但我看著這一堆隔板與工具卻不知該從何著手。我找出了說明書，一打開就看到一組說明圖，清楚指出「正確」和「錯誤」的組裝方式。其中一張圖上面畫了個大叉，圖上有一個人望著一堆隔板與工具，他困惑皺眉的表情就像幾分鐘前的我。而在其右邊的圖是「正確」的做法，同樣是有一堆隔板與工具，唯一不同的是多了一個人。圖中兩個人一起合作，臉上都掛著微笑。

於是我把丈夫找來，把圖片指給他看，告訴他說：「你看，這說明書說我需要你幫忙組裝。」他開懷大笑，然後我們就一起動手組裝書架。我本來可以固執地靠自己完成，但說明書是對的，這個組裝工作的確不是一個人能獨自完成的。

在羅馬書12章，保羅勸勉新信徒不要獨自過基督徒生活，不要以為靠自己就夠了，也不要「看自己過於所當看的」（3節）。相反地，他們應將自己視為基督身上的一個肢體，彼此相依，明白每個肢體都需要別人的協助（4-8節）。

當耶穌幫助我們學習「以手足之愛彼此相親」（10節，新譯本），我們便能經歷到那種彼此和睦相處的生活，彼此分擔需要、悲傷和分享喜樂（13、15節），而這一切，都不必一個人去面對和承擔。

As I opened the bookshelf assembly instructions with piles of boards and tools strewn on the floor before me, I viewed a set of instructional diagrams of what to do and what not to do. One diagram—with a large X on top—depicted a person staring at a pile of boards and tools with a bemused frown not unlike mine just a few minutes prior. On the right side was drawn the “correct” way to assemble. The only difference? A second person was there. Both figures now had smiles on their faces as they worked together.

So I got my husband. “The instructions say I need your help,” I said, showing him the drawing. He laughed, and we assembled it together. I could have stubbornly tried to find a way to put it together on my own. But the manual was right; the process wasn’t meant to be done alone.

In Romans 12, Paul urges new believers not to try to do life in Jesus alone. Instead of seeing themselves as self-sufficient and thinking of themselves “more highly than [they] ought” (v. 3), they needed to see themselves as part of an interdependent body, where every member needs each other’s help (vv. 4-8).

As Jesus helps us learn how to “be devoted to one another in love” (v. 10), we can experience life “in harmony” with each other, where one another’s needs, griefs, and joys (vv. 13, 15) are never carried alone.