January 15

“I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.”    —EPHESIANS 4:1-2

In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, he urges his fellow Christians “to live worthy of the calling you have received”. The King James Version says, “walk worthy of the vocation” and the English Standard Version, “to walk in a manner worthy of the calling”. The Christian life isn’t a stand in which we live satisfied with our doctrine, and get on with the rest of our lives. It is a walk, a process in which we move forward, grow and progress.    

There are four qualities Paul says that need to characterize our walk with God. Being completely humble is a disposition towards ourselves. It is not debasing ourselves, but recognizing that all I am and everything I have derives from the grace and goodness of God. The moment we cease to be humble we can be sure pride will set in, and pride divides from the unity we are meant to have in Christ. To be gentle is a disposition towards others. Whether we agree with them or not, like them or not, we are to deal with them gently; that is with care, consideration and understanding. 

The third thing Paul says is, “Be patient.”  I suggest this is a disposition towards our circumstances. We sometimes find ourselves in situations that feel as though we’re pushing a bus up a hill. It’s tough and trying, but in these circumstances we have every reason to be patient, because we know the Lord will work out His will in His time. Then Paul says, “bearing with one another in love.” That implies “bearing with one another” is not always the easiest thing to do. This is our disposition towards people and to the world at large; wherever we are, whatever we’re doing, the love of God is expressed by bearing with one another in love.

These are the areas we need to be progressing in, but we don’t attain to an end product. It’s never, “Whew, I’m there now. I’m really humble, gentle, patient and loving.” If you were, you would never actually know it. A genuinely humble person is very aware of pride that is constantly worming itself in, and trying to derail us. It’s like those who walk closely with God in holiness and purity do not know it. What they know is they are constantly battling against sin, and it’s the rest of us who see their godliness and humility. We never arrive at humility, gentleness, patience and love, but continually grow in them. It isn’t a stand we take, but an everyday progression that will characterize our walk with God.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, I ask that your Holy Spirit nurture humility, gentleness, patience and love in me so that they become a way of life I don’t even think about. Thank You, Lord.   

TO REFLECT UPON: In what areas do I need to improve upon in my walk with God?