Always be humble and gentle

Ephesians 4:2 (NLT)

Always be humble and gentle.  Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. 

This verse was mentioned in the previous devotional.  Let’s look deeper at the characteristics of a mature Christian.  You are always to be humble, gentle, patient, and forebearing (making allowance for other’s faults).  Why?  Because you love others.  Remember what Christ said were the two most important commandments?  To love God and to love others as yourself (Matthew 22:35-40). 

Les Parrott authored High Maintenance Relationships (Tyndal House, 1996).  There are fifteen types of high maintenance people; four are listed here: 

1. The critic who loves to point out flaws in others.

2. The wet blanket who chooses to be negative.

3. The steamroller who wants to be right and be in control.

4. The sponge who manipulates to get what he/she wants.

You can have a lot of fun with your family deciding who fits each of these categories!  Plus, like the parable of the sower with four types of soils that describe each of us at different parts of our lives, perhaps you can see yourself being in each of these roles at different stages of your own life.  Might you still be one of these today??

 

When Jesus talks about loving others, He is talking about loving these kinds of people.  Indeed, with these kinds of people in your life, regardless of how much they can annoy, irritate, and frustrate you, you need to love them.  Yes, you need the Lord’s help, but you must love them.  The Lord can help you via your praying for these people (“pray for those who persecute you”—Matthew 5:44), but as Ephesians 4:2 states, you need to give these people your gift of acceptance. 

Paul states “always be humble and gentle”.  Where have you heard this before?  Jesus used these two words to describe Himself (Matthew 11:29).  Of all the adjectives Jesus could have used to describe Himself, these are the only two He chose.  If you aspire to keep growing to be Christlike in your life, you must be humble and gentle.  Being humble and gentle allows you to be patient with others, even those who irritate you the most.  Remember, if you pray for the Spirit to fill you, then it is the Spirit’s personality, not your own, who is leading you.  Through the Spirit of Christ, you will be able to be patient with others and tolerate their faults.

It’s always fun (well, maybe not that much fun) to identify who are the high maintenance people in your life.  As you focus on this verse and pray to possess these divine characteristics, be assured that you will be tested via these people.  You will see growth in your life as you find that through Christ, you can deal with these people more successfully.