Look Carefully How You Walk

“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ”. Ephesians 5:15-17 ESV

The way we carry ourselves holds great significance as it shapes the first and sometimes sole impression we convey to those curious about the transformative power of Jesus in our lives. What I mean is that our demeanor should not merely be a display of our changed actions; rather, it should reflect the Holy Spirit working within us, allowing others to witness the inner light that resides deep within us.

We are to be wise, a statement that only true wisdom comes from God Himself. What does wisdom look like? “Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” James 3:13-18 ESV

The days are evil. They have been evil since the early days of the church and continue to be so today. This isn't a new revelation, but it's a perspective we must maintain. The enemy always seeks an opportunity to cause our downfall or even destroy our testimony. We must make the best use of our time and share the message of Jesus Christ while we can. This is the purpose for which we have been saved. Our role in this mission is crucial as we partner with the Holy Spirit and help bring the message of hope to all of God’s children and hep to usher them into His Kingdom.

The will of the Lord is straightforward and uncomplicated. He desires all of His children to have believing loyalty in Him so that we can trust Him to lead us into a deep relationship with the Holy Spirit, who teaches us about the love of Jesus every day.

When we lose focus or become confused about the Lord’s will, we tend to prioritize our own ministry or calling in life and make that the focus. However, acknowledging that we are all His children levels the playing field and makes us equal with one another, fellow travelers with Christ. As we mature in Christ, we grow from being children (teknon in Greek) of God to becoming sons (huios in Greek) and daughters of God. As mature sons and daughters in Christ, we are equipped to minister one to another through the giftings (or gracelets) of the Holy Spirit, not upon prioritized callings or ministries. It is the Holy Spirit’s job to meet our needs where we are in our relationship with Him, and through the obedience of our brothers and sisters in Christ as they support the body of Christ.

The difference between the two words is significant. The  ‘Teknon’ definition: “a child living in willing dependence” illustrates how we must all live in utter dependence upon the Lord, drawing guidance from our heavenly Father in a childlike, not childish, way.

Whereas the ‘Huios' definition: “a son (by birth or adoption); (figuratively) anyone sharing the exact nature as their Father.” For the believer, becoming a son of God begins with being reborn (adopted) by the heavenly Father through Christ. The New Testament equally refers to female believers as “sons” of God (Gal 3:28).

When we make melody in our hearts to the Lord, our deep connection to Jesus becomes our song. Taking the time to communicate with one another in Christ is our spiritual song to one another. This doesn't just involve speaking with words, but it's about sharing the deep harmony of Christ when we gather. This doesn't discount singing either; psalms and hymns keep us grounded in the faith while singing spiritual songs helps us to communicate the heart of the Spirit as He connects with us and moves us forward in our collective walk with Jesus.

Paul repeatedly reminds us to give thanks, for it is from a thankful heart that all of Christ's beauty flows. Giving thanks for everything that happens in our lives seems odd, but everything has an ultimate purpose: to form and shape us into the image of Jesus. In this world, we will have great affliction, trials, and distress, coupled with a life-changing peace and joy, and with the assurance that we are not citizens of this world but of a heavenly kingdom. This means that our true home and our true identity are not found in the things of this world but in our relationship with God and our future with Him. We will spend eternity with our loving King Jesus, where there will be no more pain, no more suffering, only joy and peace in His wonderful presence.

One last thought is the call to action to submit to one another out of reverence for Christ; this is how the love of Christ is demonstrated in how we honor one another. Sharing our portion of Christ and receiving a brother's or sister's portion of Christ is how Christ is fully manifested in each other. “Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you. We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.” 1 John 3:13-18 ESV   Let us be motivated and engaged in this call to action by loving our brothers and sisters with a benevolent sacrificial love that meets the immediate emotional or physical need as well as the spiritual need.

Stephen Barnett