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Walking In A Worthy Manner - Ephesians 4
Walking In A Worthy Manner - Ephesians 4
“ (1) Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, (2) with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, (3) being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:1-3).
Being part of the family of God is to have many different relationships with many different people! There is a brotherhood of many people we will never meet or have personal interaction with. There are those in our lives that we daily cross paths with. Some of them we are immediately affectionate towards. There are others that rub us the wrong way. Sometimes we are not sure of exactly why, but they do!
Yet, each local group is a group of disciples that have joined themselves together (read again Paul’s coming back to Jerusalem after his conversion in Acts 9. He tried to ‘join / associate’ himself with the disciples but was rejected by them! After the intervention of Barabas, he then ‘was with them’). Yet, as we read these letters to the churches we see that things are not always love, joy, peace, and harmony!
Notice the qualities that I am to bring to this relationship with God’s people that I have joined myself with. I am to live with humility, gentleness, patience, tolerance, and love (which in its basic meaning includes putting OTHERS needs above my own).
Such is not just a concept, but the instruction of God that I must be diligent to incorporate into my character. Interpersonal relationships will always have their rough points. Perhaps I am the old grump that is hard to get along with. Perhaps I am self-centered person that always puts my desires above the well-being of others. Examine the times you had difficulties getting along with your brethren. How did YOU handle it? What could you have done better? How could you have been more Christ-like in your thoughts and actions toward them. Examine yourself for you will give an account of these things.
Hugh DeLong
