I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord,
beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all
lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering (patience), bearing with one
another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of
peace.
Ephesians
4:1-3 (NKJV)
Words of Paul to the believers in Ephesus.
Paul tells us that they and subsequent believers should
live humble and gentle lives. Believers are to be patient and should bear one
another’s differences in love. While endeavoring to keep the unity of the Holy
Spirit through the bond of peace.
There are times in our lives that we must realize that
there are those prone to say or do things that do not represent godly thought,
speech, or behavior. They may say they are Christians, but their behavior tells
otherwise. It is possible that they might not realize what they are saying or
doing is wrong in God’s eyes and does not represent Him.
According to what Paul tells us here, it is our duty
to be patient,
12 Therefore, as the elect
of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness,
longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if
anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also
must do. 14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of
perfection.
Colossians
3:12-14 (NKJV)
It is sometimes difficult to be patient with those who profess to be Christians but who have such different beliefs about life in general...things like abortion, our current political situation, etc. I find myself just retreating away from them because there is no changing their minds and I know I won't change mine either. But we must pray for one another and let God do His work in other's lives. That's the only way people will ever truly change...is if God Himself does the changing.
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