Living in the Spirit

August 6, 2021

Scripture Reading:

Ephesians 4:25-5:2
So then, putting away falsehood, let all of us speak the truth to our neighbors, for we are members of one another. Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not make room for the devil. Thieves must give up stealing; rather let them labor and work honestly with their own hands, so as to have something to share with the needy. Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which you were marked with a seal for the day of redemption. Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, and be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you. Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

I have been appalled at some of the hateful, hurtful things I have read on social media written in support of the author’s understanding of God and Christ. What makes people feel the need to express themselves like this? What message does it send others about God and Christ? Is anyone surprised that the number of people in the USA who identify as Christian is dropping? I wonder when and why these writers became so disillusioned in a faith founded on love grounded in the knowledge that Christ loved us so much he gave himself for us.

There were many false prophets in the first century when Paul was sharing the love of God among people who had never heard of Christ. Unfortunately, people still use Christ for their ends, whatever they may be—wealth or power or self-aggrandizement. As followers of Christ, one test we might use to help us represent our faith well is to imagine Jesus’ writing or saying what we want to share with others. If we cannot imagine Jesus using those thoughts and words addressing anyone that might stumble on to them, we need to find a new way to represent our faith. Remember, what we write on social media will be read by many people that have nothing to do with what upsets us in the first place.

Prayer:
Lord, Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
   be acceptable to you,
   O Lord, my rock and my redeemer*. Amen.

*Psalm 19:14

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.