Ephesians 4:25-32

Ephesians 4:25-32

Therefore after putting aside the lie, let each one speak truth with his neighbor because we are members with one another.  Be angry and do not sin.  Do not let the sun set upon your anger, neither give a place for the Devil.  Do not let the one who steals steal any longer, but rather let him work hard while working good things with their own hands in order that he should have something to share with anyone while having a need.  Do not let any unwholesome word come out of your mouth, but that which is good for the building up of a need, in order that he should give grace to the one who hears.  And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God – into which you were being sealed into a day of redemption.  Let all bitterness, rage, wrath, and blasphemy be removed from you with every hateful feeling.  Become kind and compassionate into each other while forgiving each other just as God forgave you all in Christ.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

In these verses, Paul gives us a list of behaviors to avoid.  Notice, however, that Paul’s primary concern is relationship and community, not so much the behavior.  For example, how many of us would have expected Paul to say, “Be angry and do not sin.”  There are times and places for anger, but we should be careful not be angry in such a way as to sin.  The words to the sinner are about reforming his ways so that he can participate in the community.  The words about our speech are so that we are in a place to build up community rather than tear it down.  Paul is concerned about how our words and actions affect what God is trying to do in our midst.

What is the community around you like?  What do you do that is prone to destroying community?  What do you do that is prone to building up community?

Second Thought:

Paul gives us another great set of words regarding the Devil.  Paul tells us to not give him any room in our life.  Pay attention here.  There is a very important teaching to be found.  The Devil is our adversary; that much we know.  But he does not naturally have a place in our life.  He does not have a place in our life until we give him room.  He can tempt us into sin, but unless we choose to allow ourselves to be tempted he can do nothing to us.  There is no “The Devil made me do it.”  There is only “I gave the Devil room to work in my life.”  Again it all comes back to us.  We are responsible for our own actions.

Where have you given room to the Devil to work?  How can you go about reclaiming that ground?

Third Thought:

When it comes to building up community, look at the simple advice that Paul gives.  Be kind, compassionate, and forgiving.  This is a really neat set of advice.  Notice that he doesn’t talk about the greatness of what we can make.  He doesn’t talk about the grandeur of our buildings or programs.  Paul knows that the best thing that we can do for community is to be kind and forgiving.  We can show love to one another.  Our greatness isn’t in our technology or our cultural advancement.  Our greatness is when we display God’s love through ourselves into one another.

How good are you at putting God’s love on display?  Are you good at being kind, compassionate, and forgiving of one another?

Passage for Tomorrow: Ephesians 5:1-2