Worthy

Ephesians 4:1-6
1I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,
2with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,
3eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
4There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—
5one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

What does it mean to walk in a manner that is worthy of the Lord, to whom we have been called? Seems like a pretty high standard to me. And to top it all off, we’re supposed to accomplish this in humility, gentleness, patience, and peace. The demands are high and this lifestyle requires intentional choices and discipline. Failure looms. I absolutely hate to be a disappointment to my friends and family. That means I put a great deal of energy into making sure I keep my promises and go the extra mile when serving others. But you know what – that can become exhausting! And often I am a disappointment to myself, for I know I could have done better. All of these thoughts are based on pride, sin, and a false sense of my own power and importance. I can’t even walk in a manner that is worthy of my own standards; how will I ever live up to God’s?

After reading the above paragraph you may be thinking “Wow! She needs to get some counseling!”   The sentiments may be overly exaggerated, but I believe that at some level, we can all relate to those words. Some days are maybe worse than others. The difference between my self-imposed standards and God’s perfect standards is that God empowers my efforts to live a life worthy of His calling. The Holy Spirit, born in me at my baptism, strengthens me every single moment of the day in order that I might live in a way that brings God glory. Do I fail – yup. And every single one of those failures is covered in the blood of Jesus, forgiven and forgotten by a Holy God. So in His eyes, I am always worthy. When I remember that truth, I am raised to a higher level and intentionally strive to show the world around me that God is love and that He forgives. Those character traits of humility, gentleness, patience, love, and peace just help others know that God is real. Once again, it’s a fantastic plan.

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