Always act in gentleness one toward another with forbearance seeking the good of others before yourself. When that one that you lose patience with, get enraged with, or seek your own good first is gone or taken away then there is only regret and sorrow left. When we walk in the flesh rather than the spirit we miss opportunities to cultivate the ground for that one to grow in and pour into, rather we spend our energy on criticizing and taking away from to get what we want.
As iron sharpens iron, so our interactions with others sharpen us and those we touch. Those in our lives that do not act the way we want or fit into the mold that we want, how do we treat them? How do we act to the least of these, to that one that has no position or authority? How do we behave when no one sees or hears? What is our heart condition toward this one? God even judges the attitude of the heart, for the heart is the well spring of life. This is the test of godliness and holiness, what is our attitude of the heart and actions toward those who we think do not matter and how do we behave when no one else sees? Is there a difference in how we behave before those who we place in higher positions? Search us O God and know our thoughts, lead us in the way everlasting.
God uses diverse things to sharpen us and reveal our true character and heart condition to us. When we find evidence of the flesh spewing out, we should not run from it, but let it mold us. Identify these things and get rid of them at once with Godly repentance, for they produce no good thing, nothing of peace and life. Ask God to reveal these things so that His light can shine on us in our darkness. Instead, put on the full armor of God and operate in the Spirit, for here there is an abundance of fruit both for others and ourselves. Here there are rewards with eternal consequences.
Let us not live in regret but live in our full potentials by walking in the Spirit of God, for in this place we will taste and see that the Lord is good and experience what abundance God will bring through the works of our hands and the words of our mouths. In all gentleness and holiness, behave toward one another. There is such beauty in Godliness.
- “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” James 4:7-10
- “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalm 139:23-24
- “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” I Corinthians 13:4-7
- “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Ephesians 4:31-32
- “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” Proverbs 27:17
- “The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.” I Peter 4:7-9
- “Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs.” Proverbs 10:12
- “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12
- “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” Ephesians 6:10-18
- “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.” Colossians 3:5-10