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Christ Centered Unity:
Be Completely Humble and Gentle
Ephesians 4: 1-13
4 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.8 This is why it says: When he ascended on high, he took many captive and gave gifts to his people.”
9 (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions]? 10 He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) 11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
What does it mean to “Be completely humble and gentle?” This is a posture of divine submission. This is to be so connected to God that you and I refuse the greed of the world, the social narcissism that infects the world.
God calls us, in Christ, to live this difference, to resist the temptations of the shameless and brazen.” The invitation from Christ is to be different, to be better, to be divine selves. This is essential because, in the words of Malidoma Patrice Somé."As long as we are not ourselves, we will try to be what other people are."
We are to be ourselves, the loving, justice seeking and freedom sharing people God made us to be. On this day, let us marinate in humility and gentleness, for ourselves and our surrounding community. It is not easy. It is right.
Prayer: Grant me dear Lord, the desire and the courage to be humble and gentle. Let me trust you and the power of these, rather than the pain inflicting ugliness of this world. Let me trust you to do this great work in me and may I submit to it. I pray in Jesus name. Amen.
Meditation Moment: Where does God show me humility and gentleness? Who models that and how can I imitate the same?
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