Tuesday, October 16, 2007

bearing


" As a prisoner for the Lord, then, 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. There is one body and one Spirit - just as you were called to one home when you were called - one Lord, one faith, on baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all." -Ephesians 4:1-6

bearing: to hold up; support. To hold or remain firm under. To suffer; endure; undergo. To strive harder, intensify one's efforts.

I am learning, again, that we're all human and prone to pride, harshness, impatience, anger, frustration, and disunity. What does it look like to bear with one another? To suffer for, with and because of each other? To support and uphold? This is a hard thing to do - bearing with one another - much more so in love. In love requires us to examine how we are bearing with one another. Not in anger or frustration, not it pride or impatience, but in love.

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