EPHESIANS 4:2

“with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,”

I was walking the other day and stepped up on a sidewalk jamming my right hip. It took a few steps to work that “kink” out, but it got better as I walked. Until… The next day and each day since then (it seems), that hip has been bothering me. I guess I am due to go see my chiropractor and get him to check it. One little misstep has caused some lasting pain.

In yesterday’s verse (Ephesians 4:1) Paul tells us “to walk in a manner worthy of the calling.” We talked about the calling yesterday, but what about this walk? What did Paul mean by walking worthy? Well, he went on to explain what he meant in today’s and tomorrow’s verses. Let’s take a look at what walking worthy means and how we can do that.

APPLICATION

Paul gives some descriptions in today’s verse of what it takes to walk in a manner worthy of our calling. First of all, he says we should walk (live our lives) “with all humility.” I don’t know about you, but I don’t like that. I don’t want to be humbled by anyone or anything. But wait a minute. Scripturally, that is a good thing. The word here for humility is tapeinophrosýnē. HELPS Word studies says it is “(lowliness, humility) an inside-out virtue produced by comparing ourselves to the Lord (rather than to others). This brings behavior into alignment with this inner revelation to keep one from being self-exalting (self-determining, self-inflated). For the believer, tapeinophrosýnē means living in complete dependence on the Lord, i.e. with no reliance on self (the flesh).” That’s a pretty exhaustive definition, don’t you think?

Then Paul continues in our verse by saying, “and gentleness.” Wow, not only must we be humble. We must be gentle. The word here is prautés, which is a gentle strength. It does not mean you are weak. Think of a strong, beautiful stallion that has been broken for a rider. That animal still has all the strength it had before, only now it is under control.

Next, we are told to have “patience.” What? That’s asking way too much. Makrothumia means to be long suffering. This really applies towards people, not circumstances. This is the same word used in Galatians 5:22 where Paul gives us the fruits of the Spirit. This is God’s patience towards us.

Lastly, Paul says we should walk worthily by “bearing with one another in love.” The Greek word for “bearing with” literally means “to put up with.” Now, just think of the number of people that may apply to in your life. But don’t get too cocky about that. You are probably on their list too.

Listen, walking worthy of our calling is only possible through the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. You cannot walk humbly, gently, patiently or with forbearance apart from God. He knows that and will give you all these things if you ask. Back to my opening illustration – I made a misstep that caused me pain. I can get help with that. The same applies to your walk with Christ. You may have mis-stepped, but God can correct it. Go to Him.

O Lord, I want to walk in a manner pleasing to You