“Be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.” Ephesians 4:2 (NLT) According to the dictionary, here is the definition of fault(s),
- A defect or imperfection; flaw; failing: a fault in the brakes; a fault in one’s character.
- Responsibility for failure or a wrongful act: It is my fault that we have not finished.
- An error or mistake: a fault in addition
- A misdeed or transgression: to confess one’s faults.
We just spoke of flaws in our last devotional and we realized that we are all perfectly flawed. We are all sinners, yet Christ died for us. He has unconditional love for us. Unfortunately we as carnal humans don’t always have the mind of Christ when forgiveness and love are needed. When someone faults us, or sins against us, or makes a mistake, we are quick to judge and condemn. But this verse reminds us that we are to be humble (as we all can make mistakes), and gentle (constructive criticism in love or discipline in love). We are to be patient (it takes time for us as humans to see where we made our mistake, and to correct it. Although sometimes, the mistakes need to be corrected immediately), and loving, allowing for each other’s faults. If we truly say we walk in the light we have to love our brothers and sisters and others around us. We cannot walk with the stick in our own eye, trying to get the plank out of our friend’s eye. I don’t even know how we can see the plank, when the thing in our eye is blocking our vision. We need vision in our lives (physically and spiritually).
Vision is another topic altogether on its own, deserving of another devotional, yet, the Bible says without a vision the people perish. Not that has really anything to do with this verse, but your vision has to do with the Will of God. In His Will we are examples of God and His Son Jesus. Therefore, we need to put on the characteristics that Jesus had. Jesus was a very humble man, and was also very gentle. Of course we see throughout the New Testament that He was very patient, and he did indeed make allowances for other’s faults. He did get irritated by his disciples at some times, but he spoke his discipline/criticism/teaching in words of life and words of love. For example, when the disciples were with Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane during His prayer time before His journey to the cross, He asked the disciples to watch and pray with Him, or to intercede for Him. However, the night was long and tiring, and the disciples fell asleep. Jesus came to speak with them, and was irritated, and said “Could you not tarry one hour?” But He forgave them, and loved them with His gentle spirit.
We as humans are quick to speak, and judge, and we need to ‘chew our words’ before we speak them. The old ‘Golden Rule’ comes into play here… “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”. It should also say, “Speak to others as you would have them speak to you”. WOW! What a different world we would live in, if we took those two sayings to heart. The 80’s catch-phrase, ‘W.W.J.D.?’ comes into effect as well. ‘W.W.J.D.?’ (What Would Jesus Do?) People have brushed that off, and made jokes of it, but in reality we do need to put ourselves in Jesus’ shoes and think what He would do. We then need to put ourselves into the other’s shoes, and see what they really feel like, and how we would react if we were spoken to with the words of discouragement and judging. I know it’s easier said than done, and its not always easy to live what you teach or practice what you preach. But, God is always with us, and He is there to help us along the way. But we need to make the conscious effort to try. Trying is ½ of the battle. If we consciously set out to try to love, forgive and show mercy, then God will help us the rest of the way. There is another verse in the Bible that I am reminded of as I write this, as I am singing the song that goes with the verse. (Yes I do know a lot of scripture songs – its an easy way to remember Scripture, and I was taught a lot of songs from a young age.) “He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly, and love mercy, & to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8 NIV
We just need to take the first step, and we will walk humbly with our God. Knowing that it isn’t anything we have done, that we should boast about, but it is everything that God has done for us. This helps us to remember to have mercy on others when they do us wrong. God is teaching me as well, I am not just telling you this. I need to show more love and mercy to others, remembering that they have inner problems as well that don’t always show on the outside. I need to remember to pray for my family, my friends, my co-workers and my enemies (or people who don’t like me too much). (I’m sure each of them is intertwined in some way or another). Therefore, we should never ever underestimate the power of prayer, the power of the Father, or the power that we have through the Holy Spirit.
May God bless you this week as you live out the truths and promises spoken of in these ‘Fresh as a Daisy Devotional thoughts’. For I know that there will be many a test that I will have to pass regarding the words that I have declared in these devotional thoughts. I have already been tested in many ways, and I hope to prove faithful to God, as He proves faithful to me in standing beside me as I walk the path of life He has called me to. I pray the same for you that you will prove faithful to God, as you learn how to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with Him all the days of your life.
Prayer: Father God, we thank you for your unconditional love for us, especially in the times that we screw up and sin against others and You. Lord we know that it is hard to live as You did, but that we are to be an example to the world in thought, word and deed. God, I ask You now to forgive me (pray this along with me as you are reading this) for all that I have done that is not according to Your will, in thought, word & deed, intentionally and unintentionally. Help us God to forgive others as You forgive us. You send our sins as far from us as the east is from the west, and You remember our transgressions no more. You basically wipe our slate clean. Lord, I thank You for Your blood that washes us white as snow. May we be humble enough to walk in another’s shoes before we judge or condemn them. Help us use words of love and life. I ask all these things in the precious name of JESUS, AMEN!
"Jesus can you show me just how far the east is from the west?"
~Casting Crowns
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