Summer Fruit Devotion: Love Day 4

Speaking in Love

Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. But that is not the way you learned Christ!-assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil. Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Ephesians 4:15 – 5:2

This passage is kind of a “love sandwich” with the first instruction, “speak the truth in love,” the last instruction, “walk in love, as Christ loved us,” and all that meat in the middle. Let’s have a little pic-nic. There is a battle, maybe even a war between our “old self” that clings to us like barnacles, and our “new self,” that Paul says is “created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” Speaking and walking in love is a daily fight to scrape off the corrupt old and put on the righteous new by intentionally “renewing our minds” with scripture truth.

Journal time. As you read the passage again list the “old self” barnacles in one column and next to it list the “new self” renewed characteristics. If you don’t mind highlighting in your bible take a red crayon to the “old self” bits and a green crayon to the “new self” bits. This will give an easy visual whenever you come to this passage. It’s not meant to be a list of “dos & don’ts.” Think of it as a way to see the Spirit causing genuine heart and mind renewal that changes how you love and react to people around you.

Pray with me today. Heavenly Father, you love us so well! We are amazed that you save us and then give us your Spirit so we can live and love more like Jesus. Help us put off all the old self and put on all the new self so that we can speak in love, walk in love, and grow up to maturity in Christ. Forgive us when we fail and help us know our righteousness is in Christ and your love for us doesn’t depend on how good we are. We offer ourselves to be the new, loving creation you desire and let the old, selfish things pass away. In Jesus’ righteous and holy name we pray, Amen.