每天為主而活
以弗所書四章1至6節
1我為主被囚的勸你們：既然蒙召，行事為人就當與蒙召的恩相稱。
2凡事謙虛、溫柔、忍耐，用愛心互相寬容，
3用和平彼此聯絡，竭力保守聖靈所賜合而為一的心。
4身體只有一個，聖靈只有一個，正如你們蒙召同有一個指望。
5一主，一信，一洗，
6一神，就是眾人的父，超乎眾人之上，貫乎眾人之中，也住在眾人之內。
信息分享
保羅在這幾章經文中，談及我們與其他信徒、鄰舍、家人和同工的關係；而無論在那一方面，我們都應該活出信徒的品格。
我們可以嘗試將保羅在第2節列出的品格，抽取其中一項來應用在自己身上。以「謙虛」為例；謙虛的含意很豐富，但其中一個意思，就是表示信徒不應時刻關注著自己。這豈不是小孩子的表現嗎？小孩子豈不是只顧滿足自己的需要嗎？然而，信徒卻要把自己的需要看為其次，甚至是為了禮讓別人，而把自己的需要放到最後。保羅在腓立比書二章8節怎樣描述基督？他說基督「自己卑微」。基督徒豈不應該效法基督的榜樣嗎？
其次是「互相寬容」。有人認為，這表示要「容忍別人身上一切不愜你意的東西」。這當然很難啊！我們都喜歡跟趣味相投，或恭維我們的人相處；那些跟我們意見不合，或處事方式不同的人，我們往往會故意疏遠；然而，正正是在後者的情況，我們更特別需要見證基督合一的靈就在我們中間。
禱告：
「主啊，求你的愛充滿我，願我的生命流露出你的愛，以致別人看見你活在我的生命中。」
LIVING FOR CHRIST DAY BY DAY
Ephesians 4: 1 – 6
1 I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called,
2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love,
3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling;
5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism;
6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
Message
In these chapters, Paul writes about our relationships with fellow Christians, our neighbours, our families and with those we work with. Paul says that our Christian life ought to be seen in all of these areas.
Just take some of the words Paul uses in verse 2 and put them alongside your life. For example what does ‘humidity’ mean. Beside everything else, it means that you don’t want to be the centre of attention all the time. Children want that don’t they? A Christian should be prepared to take second place or even last place. What does Paul say about Christ in Philippians 2:8? ‘He humbled himself.’ Shouldn’t a Christian be prepared to do the same?
‘Long-suffering’. That is the spirit of Christ being seen in our lives when people criticise or say unkind things about us. If we will allow Christ to be seen, especially when we are right and they are wrong, we will be doing what Christ wants us to do.
‘Forbearing one another’. Someone has said this means ‘Lovingly putting up with all that is disagreeable in other people’. That’s hard isn’t it? We like to be with people who like us and who say nice things about us. But when people are disagreeable and don’t do things the way we want, that is the time when the spirit of Christ in us should be clearly shown.
Are you willing to pray this prayer today? ‘Lord please live your own lovely life in me so that others may see I belong to you.’