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Scripture Reading: Ephesians 4

One of the benefits of reading the Bible is that it acts as a counselor of sorts, giving you advice on how to handle the situations you face in life. In fact, the Holy Spirit is often called the Counselor, and He does some of His best counseling work as you read through the pages of the Bible.

Ephesians 4 is one of those passages that can help you in various ways, including when you’re feeling frustrated or angry with those around you. God knows what you’re feeling, and so does the Apostle Paul, who wrote the letter to the Ephesians.

Having been unjustly imprisoned for his faith, Paul could have easily given in to the temptation to be bitter and angry with those around him. But instead he chose another path―and he encouraged the Ephesians to do the same:

“I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:1-3). 

How could Paul do it? How could he turn off the anger that might otherwise have boiled up within him―and perhaps even consumed him? To answer that question, I think we need to look closer at the little word he uses at the beginning of the chapter: “therefore.” Whenever you see a “therefore” in the Bible, it’s a good idea to read the words leading up to it so you’ll know what the “therefore” is there for!

If you look back at what Paul was writing prior to this chapter, you’ll see that he spent the entire first three chapters of the book trying to help the Ephesians understand just how much God really loved them.  He even got down on his knees and prayed for them to understand the depth of God’s love.  Paul knew that once they understood God’s unconditional love for them, then they would be able to extend that same love to those around them.

There’s a “Dennis the Menace” cartoon in which Dennis and his friend Joey are walking away from the Wilson’s house with their hands full of cookies. Joey asks, “I wonder what we did to deserve this?” Dennis tells his friend, “Joey, Mrs. Wilson gives us cookies not because we’re nice, but because she’s nice.”

The same can be said of God. The reason He treats us with so much love and kindness is not necessarily because we’re good, but because He’s good.  That’s how Paul was able to treat others with kindness even though they were mistreating him, and that’s how we can treat others with kindness even though they may be mistreating us.  Paul was able to “be nice” to them because God had “been nice” to him.  As Paul renewed his mind with this reminder of God’s love, he was able to extend that love to others, regardless of how they treated him. Paul told the Ephesians:

“…put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:17-24). 

If you’re struggling to love those around you with the love that God has expressed to you, I’d encourage you to read through all of Ephesians chapter 4 (and keep on reading, if you’d like, through chapters 5 and 6 as well!)  You’ll find some of the most practical words of advice from the best Counselor in the world. Here are just a few of His pieces of wisdom:

“Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil” (Ephesians 4:26-27). 

“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear” (Ephesians 4:29). 

“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32). 

These aren’t generic platitudes; they’re life-changing attitudes―attitudes that will change how you act.

As a Christian, God has put a great calling on your life. Invite God to renew Your mind, and then do as Paul urged the Ephesians to do:

“…to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” 

Prayer

Father, thank You for Your incredible love for us. Help us to understand just how wide and long and high and deep it is, so that we can extend that love to those around us. Help us to walk in a manner worthy of the calling that You have put upon our lives, and may our walk impact those around us in powerful ways as well. In Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Memory Verse

“I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:1-3)