Summer Fruit Devotion: Gentleness Day 5

Unity in Gentleness

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

The Spirit loves unity. The Spirit also loves diversity. The next part of Ephesians 4 talks about the gifts of the Spirit and how they all work together to build up the whole body of Christ. Not every functional calling is the same, but we are all called by the same God into the same salvation so we must all walk in humility, gentleness, patience, love, unity and peace. Gentleness means we don’t try to hurt the other members of the body but we love and protect them, especially the weak ones. It means bearing with one another in love, forgiving one another for the sake of the body. Jesus called wildly different men, (fishermen, tax collectors, zealots,) to different callings, (apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, teachers,) but always to the same faith, to spread the Gospel and build up the Church, to baptize and make disciples. When you look around your local congregation this Sunday I hope you are amazed at how many different lives are represented, and how God is the Father of us all.

Journal time. Think about the calling of God on your life. Of course you’ve been called to faith, but who has God called you to minister to? How can you walk in more humility and gentleness, with patience both at church and in your community?

Pray with me today. Heavenly Father, we are so grateful for the faith you have given us and the calling you’ve placed on us as ministers of that faith. Thank you for the beautiful unity yet diversity in your family and that you are the God and Father of us all. Holy Spirit please help us to walk worthy of that calling, not to earn grace but because you’ve already given us more grace than we can fathom. Let us be gentle caretakers of one another so that your Church is built up in unity, peace, and love. In the gentle and unifying name of Jesus we pray, Amen.