And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Ephesians 5:2 (ESV)
“Walk in love” When we take action, it needs to be done with compassion and care for others. Loving others is not a sedentary, passive thing. It is expressed through taking action.
I’m so grateful that Jesus took action to display his love for us. He gave Himself up for us, sacrificing His own life for our salvation.
The first section of chapter 5 is about walking in a wise way, making the most of your time. I have actually already written post and done a bible art journaling entry about this. To read it, CLICK HERE.
This time, when I read Ephesians 5, I was struck by how Paul gives specific instructions on how to live in relationship with other people. We don’t live in a vacuum. Unless you are living completely off the grid, by yourself in the wilds somewhere, you interact with people regularly.
In fact, I think our interactions with people can get us into more trouble than we would like to admit.
This theme of practical instructions on daily life with other people continues from the end of chapter 5 through the beginning of chapter 6. So, this devotional will be a little different as it will bridge these sections of the two chapters.
In verses 22-33, Paul gives practical advice on how to live out a Christ-honoring marriage.
Then, in the beginning of chapter 6 (verses 1-4), he gives tips on the relationship between parent and child.
Chapter 6, verses 5-9, teaches how bosses and employees ought to interact with one another.
These are three of the most influential relationships in our lives. Parent-child, husband-wife, boss-employee.
Let’s take a look at each of these three important relationships…
#1 – How should a married couple treat each other?
However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband. Ephesians 5:33 (ESV)
Love and Respect.
Dr. Emerson Eggerichs wrote an amazing book called Love and Respect. He and his wife Sarah have also created a marriage conference and a small group curriculum. I can personally vouch for the small group study. In the video curriculum, Dr. Eggerichs is a captivating speaker with life-changing principles and advice that comes from God’s word and his years of counseling experience. If you want to take your marriage to the next level, I highly recommend this study.
The basic principle is that a man’s greatest need in the relationship is respect, while a woman’s most desperate need is to feel loved by her husband.
As a woman, if I am snarky, rolling my eyes, disregarding his wishes, and sarcastic toward my husband, I am disobeying God’s command to respect him.
As a man, if my husband is shutting me out, giving me the silent treatment, or speaking rudely to me, he is disobeying God’s order to love me as Christ loved the church.
This study has made a huge difference in the way I relate to my hubby and has brought us closer together.
One thing that really stood out to me from the study was when Dr. Eggerichs talked about how your spouse acts has no bearing on how you should treat them. We are to live our lives as an act of devotion to God. As a wife, that means that I show my husband respect and submit to him even if that respect does not cause him to respond the way I want him to toward me. I am being a wife as unto the Lord, seeking God’s approval of my daily decisions and His “Well done” rather than anyone else’s approval.
I don’t get to choose how my husband reacts to anything, but I do get to control how I respond. How I treat him. How I take action toward him each day.
Note: I actually have an awesome husband who continually shows his love for me. He is always striving to be a better husband, and our marriage grows richer each year because of it. Kudos to him!
#2 – How should a parent and child interact?
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. Ephesians 6:1-4 (ESV)
How should children (even adult ones) take action toward their parents? Children show honor toward their parents.
Sometimes we, as parents, do not really deserve honor because of the way we are acting. Sometimes, our parents act in such a way that they do not deserve honor.
However, when we show honor no matter what our parents actions are, we are honoring God and pleasing Him.
How should parents treat their children? Parents should avoid provoking, irritating, and exasperating their children. Instead, they should raise them in the word of God, with His discipline and instruction.
It is easy to poke back when you feel poked. And kids, at least my kids, know how to push their parents’ buttons. It takes enormous parental self-control to keep from poking back.
#3 – How should relationships in the workplace look?
Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free. Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him. Ephesians 6:5-9 (ESV)
Here we see it yet again! When we treat others well, we are living our lives in service to God Himself.
As employees, we should do our jobs as if we were doing them for Christ alone. That means good attitudes, respect for authority, sincere hearts, and a commitment to excellence.
As employers, we should stop bullying and threatening and realize that our employees are children of God just like we are and should be treated with respect. Doing so will please our father in heaven.
So, in all relationships, we treat others with love, respect, and honor as unto the Lord. How we treat others is devotion in action to God Himself.
We have to take action today to love others, respect all, and honor those in authority. We are in this life thing together. In this together.
Action Step: Let’s think about the relationships in our lives. How do I treat my husband, my kids, my boss, my coworkers, my neighbors? Choose one area where you can show more love, respect, and honor for others. Make that the goal for this week. Start by taking action today.
Dear God, thank you that our approval from You does not depend on how others respond to us. We are only responsible for our own actions. Thank you for loving us and wanting the best for us. Help us to show love to the people in our lives. In Jesus’ name, amen.