Ephesians 4:32 (Amplified Bible)
32And become useful and helpful and kind to one another, tenderhearted (compassionate, understanding, loving-hearted), forgiving one another [readily and freely], as God in Christ forgave you.
The 5th House Rule: Be Kind and Tender Hearted. This verse is such an awesome one. Look at each word individually and see what they truly mean. Mediate on each one...they all show us where our hearts should truly be. In Verse 31 it lists 6 vices to stay away from. They are: bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, slander and malice. We should be like Verse 32 and I like how the Amplified Bible puts it: "become useful & helpful & kind to one another, tenderhearted (compassionate, understanding, loving-hearted), forgiving one another [readily & freely]. These are commands that please the Holy Spirit. It builds the fellowship of believers and it also attracts people who are lost (unbelievers). We are to walk in love as Christ loves us and forgive each other just as He forgives us. We need to live by the example of Jesus Christ. It's not only a duty to be like Jesus, it is a privilege.
God has shown us that He is kind, tender-hearted, etc. It cost God the death of His Son, Jesus, to forgive us but it does not cost us anything to forgive our brothers and sisters. He did this because He loves us so much. Let us all be truthful here. Have we really been "useful, helpful & kind to one another?" Have we been tenderhearted, compassionate, understanding, & loving-hearted) and more importantly have we been readily & freely forgiving one another? Check your heart the next time you are at the grocery store standing in a long line and someone does not have enough money to pay for their groceries. Are we willing to step up and give them what they need? If someone falls and hurts themselves, are we in too much of a hurry and just walk by and let someone else stop and take care of them? Another scenario would be if one of our neighbors is being abused, do we step in and call the police or do we just listen to it and do nothing because we do not want to get involved?
Paul is saying this is a lifelong process and a journey to greater Christlike behavior. He is also saying that we are to be kind and forgiving to one another because we know how kind and forgiving God has been to us in Jesus Christ. Pastor JoAnn has been saying "an attitude of gratitude." I love this quote from Chuck Swindoll: "The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude to me is more important than facts, it’s more important that the past, it’s more important than education, it’s more important than money, circumstances, failures, successes. It’s more important than what other people think or say or do. It’s more importance than appearance, giftedness, or skill. It will make or break a company, a church, or a home. The remarkable thing is that we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace. We cannot change our past. We cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string that we have, and that is our attitude. I’m convinced that life is ten percent of what happens to me and ninety percent of how I react to it."
If you look at these rules, they all intertwine. If you are kind and tenderhearted, compassionate, then you will be able to forgive others. It is love in action. Read these rules and the Scriptures. It will help you to live a righteous life. Keep reading the Word as it teaches, strengthens and guides us through life. Blessings to you all!
