¹² Now if their transgression brings riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fullness bring! (Romans 11:12 CSB)

At the time of our scripture the message was being spread beyond the Jewish community to Gentiles. This was mainly true because the Jewish community did not want to hear about Christ. They were fighting back against this change to their traditional beliefs.

Therefore, they were now in direct conflict with The Way, even though all of the Old Testament pointed toward this new way and to Christ.

But their transgressions and failure meant riches for those outside of God’s chosen people. This conflict was what drove the message of Christ beyond His people. Now, to be sure, it was God’s desire all along to bring the message of his son’s sacrifice to the world. But this rejection could now be used as a lever to be pulled in the spread of the Gospel.

So for us, while our transgressions and failures highlight God’s mercy when we repent, how much better our fullness brings the light of Christ to others! How much do our acts of righteousness more than our transgressions bring about our fulfillment of Christ change within us.

It is not through the contrast of our transgressions to our righteous acts that mark us as different, but the righteous acts themselves. It is through them we find the fullness of our being in Christ.