32 "Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you."
Ephesians 4:32 (NASB)
Our performance-driven world calls for us to operate based on four pillars; and when we do, we're taught to believe we'll win.
- BUSINESS. Get down to it. Be great at it. Produce. Profit. Win.
- TOUGHNESS. Be as strong as you can be mentally, physically, emotionally. Dominate.
- UNRELENTING-ness. Never be knocked off your mission. Concede nothing.
- DRIVEN-ness. “If it has to be, it's up to me.” Drive determines wins.
God's Word calls us to something better, four other corresponding pillars:
- KINDNESS. Kindness expressed is way more powerful than we think. When we do express it, others feel something really radical and amazing … grace! And when kindness is added to business, work goes way better too.
- TENDERHEARTEDNESS. It lets benevolence loose and releases a powerful pair, empathy and sympathy, to march bigtime.
- FORGIVENESS. Practice it as unrelentingly as God does in Christ. Extend it to others as God has given it to you. When you do, both the giver and receiver are set free.
- CHRISTLIKENESS. Maximum drive and identity is found in Him. Imitating Him completes us. Jesus in me makes me serve more than be served, forgive as I've been forgiven, love as I've been loved.
Bonus Coverage: When God forgave us, He didn't decide to do it after we asked, but before we asked. He forgives first because of Christ, not because of our pleas. And He says, "Love you, too!" before we ever say “I love You.” Such love demands our highest allegiance.
A prayer to consider: LORD, thank you for introducing me to Ephesians 4:32. Embracing it helps my life so much. Keep calling me to live this way, like Jesus.
