So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body. And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil. If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need. Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.
Ephesians 4:25 – 5:2
When you live (as I do) with someone who loves to shake
things up a bit, moving the furniture around is as much a part of living as
breathing-in and out. My father-in-law,
Tony, was a mechanic/truck-driving/hard-working family man. His wife, Sofie, was a homemaker superb. She loved to move the furniture, and passed along
that gene to her daughter. (Pray for me,
here, I’m now on thin ice)! At the end of a hard day’s work, Tony would come
into the house, sit on his favorite chair to take off his socks (the dirty
boots were already off tired feet at the door).
One such day he followed the routine, but sat down on the floor. He hadn’t noticed Sofie moved the chair. From that day-on he was much more alert!
As you might imagine, this husband learned Tony’s lesson
about rechecking the layout of the furniture.
For instance, my study desk has been located in virtually every room of
our house, with the obvious exceptions of kitchen and bathroom. In a way, that’s not a bad thing. I get a new outlook when the desk shifts, and
it’s a good thing to not get too complacent.
Fresh starts can be quite invigorating!
So…what has all that to do with Paul’s admonition to the
believers at Ephesus? The word is change. Paul was saying
no small thing about changing from foul language, lying, anger, and other forms
of abusive living. And, if you’ve found
yourself convicted in any of these life-defining sins, and tried to
change…well, you know exactly how hard it is to break the cycle, and gain
victory. Like Tony, sitting down in the
same spot is a demon that will eventually engineer your downfall.
Granted, it’s not a simple thing to change…just ask
anyone addicted to Reese’s peanut-butter cups, or ice cream! (If you’re reading this with a bowl of banana
pudding and spoon in hand, I’m praying for you at this very moment). If there’s anything a human, caught in the
trap of addiction, needs (desperately) it is the kind of encouragement that
opens up the possibilities of breaking-free.
And this is exactly the point of Paul’s appeal to change: there IS hope! Paul is talking to the church, some, or
perhaps many, who were ensnared in habitual sins that were destroying their
witness of the Christ of victorious living, let-alone their own peace of
mind. Just the fact that Paul merely
uses simple mandates, stop, don’t, quit,
along with even simpler encouragements, give, be kind, encourage, and live,
indicates that God is all about making a pathway for us to change.
For You Today
The hardest change, ever, isn’t voting-in a new politician, or moving the
furniture in the house…it’s always been breaking sin’s grip on our lives. And there is no easy solution…and it’s never
been about your resolve or inner-strength.
You chew on that as
you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!
There are about 2,000 devotional
posts and 400 sermons in the Rocky Road Devotions
library. To dig deeper on
today’s topic, explore some of these:
Drunkard Road and Lenten Walk - Part 19
Images: Title
image Pixabay.com Images without citation are either personal
property of the author, or in public domain.
Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation©
