Ephesians 4:2
Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
‘I don’t have to put up with your nonsense anymore,’ said many a person to many others. It’s become such a common phrase that has only reinstated the lifestyle that is now widely accepted. Intolerance, impatience, giving tit-for-tat and harshness are very easily exhibited even for the smallest mistakes that others make.
But the Bible calls us to be different. Paul encourages us to ‘put up with each other.’ The key to doing this is LOVE. If we push ourselves to simply ‘tolerate’ others, we will slowly destroy ourselves on the inside because some people take a really long time to change. When we don’t feel like doing it but are doing it for the sake of keeping the Word, we are only fulfilling a formality. The Word of the Lord says that His strength is made perfect in our weakness. That means all we need to do is lean on Him. Ask Him to fill us with His love so that we can pour out this same love to the world around us. Receive His forgiveness and let it flow to those who’ve hurt us. Remember, we pray, ‘Lord forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.’
Be quick at mending relationships than to let them unattended long enough to fester. We are called to handle relationships with humility…just as Christ Jesus did…an attitude of serving in love with gentleness.
Ask the Lord to fill you with His Holy Spirit. We need the Fruits of the Spirit to strengthen us-love, patience, kindness, gentleness and self-control. May we always demonstrate the same grace that the Lord extends towards us. May our lives and relationships exhibit the meekness, mildness and mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
