Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-16
I, therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace: 4 there is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.
7 But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8 Therefore it is said,
“When he ascended on high, he made captivity itself a captive;
he gave gifts to his people.”
9 (When it says, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descendedinto the lower parts of the earth? 10 He who descended is the same one who ascended far above all the heavens, so that he might fill all things.) 11 He himself granted that some are apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ. 14 We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine by people’s trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming; 15 but speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love.
Questions
- How do the four characteristics in verse 2 work together?
- Why is patience so important for Christians to develop?
- What issues prevent me from showing patience in my life?
Background
Related Scriptures: Exodus 34:6-8; Galatians 5:16-26; Philippians 2:1-11
Jerome: Anyone who understands what it is “forbear one another in love” will understand that this is a precept appropriate to the faithful. It is not indeed saints who have any need to “forbear one another.” Rather it is those in the earlier stages of Christian life, who being human are still under the control of some passion. Nor is it strange that this should be said to the Ephesians. Among them there were surely some who still had to bear patiently with others.[1]
Marius Victorinus: He speaks of several forms of forbearance, each of which prevents them from being carried away or proud. Lowliness is first, then meekness. Lowliness consists in having a humble mind. Meekness is a curb on pride and cruelty. Patience consists in bearing any adverse circumstance that may befall them. With lowliness and meekness they learn not to be afraid to suffer. With patience they learn how to respond if they must suffer[2]
Reflection
This world and the people in it can often be very trying. So many issues can cause us to want to loose it on others. Today we deal with road rage and meltdowns in restaurants on a daily basis. Life together with other people simply pushes many of us to the edge. What is happening to society that we have so much trouble interacting with others around us? Society seems ruled by a self-centeredness that cannot tolerate the slightest inconvenience.
The older I get the more sincerity I see in Reinhold Neibur’s famous serenity prayer.
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time; enjoying one moment at a time; accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will; that I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him. Forever in the next. Amen.
Paul reminds us that one of the goals of the Christian life is developing patience. And patience begins in understanding what I can change and what I cannot change. This is difficult because our human temptation is to want everything around us to change to accommodate us. We want the situations of life to bend to us and when that does not happen, we become annoyed or angry. Even with other people. Patience begins in accepting that sometimes situations and people are difficult and the only thing in our control is “my response”. Patience is a response to life grounded in combination of strength, love, and understanding.
Patience is a form of strength and like physical strength, it does not develop quickly or without work. As Leo Tolstoy says, “The strongest of all warriors are these two — Time and Patience.” Patience is the strength to deal with circumstances that hurt you with dignity. As I have already said, prayer is one way to develop this strength. Talking with God about the circumstances of life and asking for wisdom to deal with them. Another discipline that can help produce patience is practicing the pause. What I mean by practicing the pause is, when speaking with another person or responding to a situation, slow down. Pause for a second to ask, “is this really what I want to say, how will this person hear this?” When someone is talking to you, think about what their life is like and how it is has influenced their views or behaviors. Slow down in difficult situations long enough to ask why this is so difficult for me and how you can provide the most loving example in the situation. Asking about the situation is difficult can help identify a valid response. Slowing down can give you the opportunity to identify what emotions you are feeling and how these emotions might impact your ability to show love in a situation. And when dealing with people, it slows down and can allow others feel respected. When people feel respected, they feel loved and are more willing to listen to others. Taking time to gather ourselves in difficult situations allows us to be a witness to God’s presence in the world.
Are we willing to put in the work that leads to patience? Are we willing to pause and pray for help in dealing with the stresses of life? God wants to help us deal with others in a loving and gracious way. Can we look to God for this grace as we grow to learn to listen to others. Society needs us to patiently live with one another. Let us all learn and grow in this kind of maturity.
[1] M. J. Edwards, ed., Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture 159.
[2] M. J. Edwards, ed., Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture 159.
Squinting in the Light 
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