“… I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:1-3 NIV).
While Paul urges the church community at Ephesus to live a life worthy of the calling they had received,
with emphasis on values like humility, gentleness, patience, love, and unity, this also provides a compelling framework for how family members can relate to one another in a Christ-centred home. The family, being the basic unit of the society and the church, is the bedrock of relationships. Hence, the healthiness of a church is greatly influenced by the kind of families that make up its membership.
The urge to “live a life worthy of the calling you have received” begins in the most intimate place: the home. Beloved, unity in the family is not the absence of diversity, and that is what each family member needs to acknowledge and therefore learn to bear with one another. Bearing with one another is admitting that none of us is a finished product, for we are all works in progress. Hence, as you identify the areas of your family member’s strengths and weaknesses, seek ways to help them overcome their weaknesses and appreciate their strengths. Furthermore, as your family members try to bear with you, you also should be willing to change.
Rev. Moses Abayomi Sodeinde
