Many of Saint Paul’s writings require in-depth study and explanation from the Holy Fathers to grasp his message.
Not so in today’s lesson from Ephesians 4:1-6!
1) Walk worthy of the calling with which you were called. The Lord has blessed each of us with talents, abilities, capabilities, gifts, assets—all of which are different for each of us, but all of which He sent to us because He gives to us that which is necessary for our own salvation. If He has blessed me with the ability to speak well, then St. Paul is saying, “Use your ability to bring glory to God.” If I’ve been blessed with talents to build things, then St. Paul is saying, “Build to the glory of God!” In whatever gifts He has sent to me, use them not JUST to some kind of self-aggrandizement (laying up treasures for myself), but share His gifts with others who can benefit from what He has gifted to me!
2) Be lowly, gentle, and longsuffering. Another way of phrasing this would be to be meek. Understand that there is sin within vainglory, and there is nothing gained when one sews division. We are to bear with the shortcomings of others, and not only bear with, but use our God-given abilities and spiritual gifts to make up for their deficiencies when He so directs us.
3) Bearing with one another in love. Indeed, love overcomes all division, and leaves no room for either animosity or selfishness.
4) Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Did you ever wonder why ’peace’ is called for so often during a Divine Liturgy. It’s well over 40 times. The Liturgy opens with In peace, let us pray to the Lord, and it ends with the “Prayer Before the Ambo” which ends with the words, Give peace to Your world, to Your churches, to Your priests, to all those in civil authority, and to all Your people. Unity is a fruit of peace between God’s people.
5) There is one Body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling. This calling is made to each of us. Each of us are servants of the same Master. He may call upon me now, and you later. He will have differing tasks for each of us, dependent upon those skills and gifts with which He has blessed each of us. And we will each do different things in answer to His call. And in the unity St. Paul is calling for, I will pray for you to serve Him well, as you will pray for me.
6) One Lord, one faith, one baptism. We serve the same Lord based upon the foundation of a faith that is also shared. Individual tools, skills and abilities differ, but the guiding beliefs which direct each of us to use those gifts to His glory are the same.
7) One God and Father of all, Who is above all, and through all, and in you all. You don’t see “your god” while I see a different god. There is One God—Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Together we serve Him. He has one purpose, and He directs us individually to serve His Divine purpose with the skills and abilities with which He has blessed us.
I can’t answer for you. As for me, I fail too often to seek His will as I go through my day. For this I repent. But I know as in 2) above that you have expended effort—love, prayer, support—when you’ve seen me faltering and failing.
And so each of us should give thanks to the One Who is making us worthy of the calling to which we were called. And we should give thanks to one another, who have together been lowly, gentle, and longsuffering towards one another, as we together bear with one another in love.
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