Living in the Spirit

July 29, 2021

Scripture Reading: Ephesians 4:1-16

I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort 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 of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.

But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift.

In my lifetime, the correspondence from prison that left the most significant impression on me was Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Letter from the Birmingham Jail. I wonder when he thought to compose it if he had just read Paul’s letter from the jail in Ephesus. While nearly 2000 years separate the two letters, the call for oneness fed by humility and love still flows through our world. We Christ-followers have a special calling to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, while working continuously toward justice for all. I learned in a recent Bible study that the prisons in Paul’s time did not provide food. Prisoners were one relative or friend away from sickness, even starvation if their sentences were long. Paul thanked those who cared for him while he was in prison (Philippians. 1:3-11). Had they not taken care of him, we, today, most likely would not have been blessed with his writings.

“We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the hateful words and actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people.” ― Martin Luther King Jr., Letter from the Birmingham Jail

While we might not be willing to go to jail for our faith, we can do much to further the cause of justice in this world. Writing our elected officials and firmly stating our support of just legislation is one way. Helping people legally eligible to vote who cannot because of barriers to their access is another. Let us not be among the appalling silence of the good people.

Prayer: Lord, open our eyes that we might see where our silence is hurting others. Empower us to do justice. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.