5/15/20 I Devotion
Ephesians 4:25 - 5:8
25 Therefore, after you have gotten rid of lying, Each of you must tell the truth to your neighbor[a] because we are parts of each other in the same body. 26 Be angry without sinning.[b] Don’t let the sun set on your anger. 27 Don’t provide an opportunity for the devil. 28 Thieves should no longer steal. Instead, they should go to work, using their hands to do good so that they will have something to share with whoever is in need.
29 Don’t let any foul words come out of your mouth. Only say what is helpful when it is needed for building up the community so that it benefits those who hear what you say. 30 Don’t make the Holy Spirit of God unhappy—you were sealed by him for the day of redemption. 31 Put aside all bitterness, losing your temper, anger, shouting, and slander, along with every other evil. 32 Be kind, compassionate, and forgiving to each other, in the same way God forgave you in Christ.
5 Therefore, imitate God like dearly loved children. 2 Live your life with love, following the example of Christ, who loved us and gave himself for us. He was a sacrificial offering that smelled sweet to God.
3 Sexual immorality, and any kind of impurity or greed, shouldn’t even be mentioned among you, which is right for holy persons. 4 Obscene language, silly talk, or vulgar jokes aren’t acceptable for believers. Instead, there should be thanksgiving. 5 Because you know for sure that persons who are sexually immoral, impure, or greedy—which happens when things become gods—those persons won’t inherit the kingdom of Christ and God.
6 Nobody should deceive you with stupid ideas. God’s anger comes down on those who are disobedient because of this kind of thing. 7 So you shouldn’t have anything to do with them. 8 You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord, so live your life as children of light.
Devotion
As I read this passage, it felt like a parent or teacher giving instructions. It’s one of those passages that about half way through, you start to zone out thinking “okay, okay I get it. Don’t do bad stuff.” It seems like in our culture…one thing we don’t like AT ALL is being told what to do.There is a lot in there, but that first verse really stood out to me for some reason. Chapter 4 verse 25 says “Let everyone speak the truth with their neighbor.”
When you guys were younger, did you ever play a game called truth or dare? I’m not sure if young people still play this game. But most of you probably know how it goes. There is a group of people and each person gets a turn. You have to pick either truth or dare. If you pick truth, then they can ask you anything, and you have to tell the truth. If you pick dare, then they usually think of something scary or dangerous for you to do. I have noticed something about this truth or dare game…More times than not people pick the dare. I wonder why? Telling the truth is scary.
Chapter 4 verse 25 says “Let everyone speak the truth with their neighbor.” We learned from Jesus in the parable of the Good Samaritan that neighbor does not mean the people, who literally live next to you, or the people you are friends with…but according to Jesus, everyone is our neighbor (even the people we don’t like). Okay, now that is scary. Scarier than any crazy dangerous thing I might be dared…because there is vulnerability in the truth. You are putting yourself all out there without any masks. You are being 100% real. What would it look like to speak truth to our neighbor?
Of course, it means to not lie. When you are asked a direct question, you answer honestly. But to speak truth is deeper than not lying. To speak truth in our lives means that we have to be up front and honest with ourselves about who we are, and willing to share that with other people. It is sharing our deepest thoughts, our dreams, our desires, our struggles, our hurts, our bad habits, and everything in between. It is being open and honest, even when we have nothing to gain. Sometimes that comes at a price, but this is the kind of truth God is calling us to, not only for ourselves, but for the Church. Speaking truth to your neighbor is about being transparent. You see without truth, authentic community fails. Without truth, we cannot be the people and the Church God is calling us to be.
Amber Lea Gray, Associate Pastor