#TuesdayTruth Ephesians 4:2,32
Ephesians 4:2, 32
“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
Think about the words used here and how they can relate in to your day to day life (below are some definitions from Merriam-Webster to help).
Humble: not proud or haughty; reflecting, expressing, or offered in a spirit of deference or submission.
Philippians 2:3 “…in humility value others above yourselves,”
This world tends to value the biggest, the flashiest, the best, the most expensive, etc. What great news is it, though, that our God places no value on these things, but, instead, He CHOOSES the lowly! It kind of takes the pressure off, huh?
Gentle: free from harshness, sternness, or violence.
Provers 15:1 “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”
Again, this fast-paced world tends to prefer a quick, sometimes even harsh, response. However, the value here is placed on those who give grace, not those who jump to conclusions and are the most “hard-core.” Can you think back to a time when you desperately needed someone to be gentle in their response to you? I know I can.
Patient: bearing pains or trials calmly or without complaint; steadfast despite opposition, difficulty, or adversity.
James 5:8 “…be patient and stand firm…”
It is easy to jump to conclusions or think the worst of someone (or of a situation). Thank God that this is not how He deals with us and it is not how He expects us to deal with one another. I don’t know about you, but I need patience from those around me daily!
Kind: of a sympathetic or helpful nature.
Proverbs 12:25 “Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up.”
When you really think about it, it is honestly not so hard to just be kind to others. Sometimes we can get caught up in our day-to-day (in our own stresses/thoughts/hardships), but imagine what a wonderful world we would live in if each of us took it upon ourselves to show kindness to those around us.
Compassionate: sympathetic.
Psalms 103:8 “The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.”
Again, look at the people around you. Don’t get stuck in your own “bubble.” Take just a few minutes to imagine what it must really be like to be them- to have the responsibilities, the stressors, the circumstances that they deal with every single day. It is not a comparison game, to say that one person has more to deal with than the other, but just to consider another’s situation. I guarantee that it will change your perspective and interactions with people for the better.
Our God gives us instruction for how to live in Scripture; and these 2 short verses are so rich in wisdom for our day to day lives. Not only does He tell us how to live, but he showed us exactly how to put the things in these verses into practice- by sending His Son. Jesus lived this human life, on this very earth, and is our perfect example of how to embody the verses above. If it were not for Him- for His humility, His gentleness, His patience, His kindness, His compassion and His forgiveness- we would be utterly hopeless.
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for giving us your Son as the perfect example of the words defined above. Thank you for forgiveness. We would have no hope if it were not for you and for that great, unimaginable gift. So, thank you for not only showing us patience, kindness and compassion, but for teaching us how to, in turn, strive to be like you.
We love you Father, Amen.