Jun 06 2025
Afternoon Bible Verse
With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love.
For many people, love is not beautiful. Love can be messy, painful, hurtful, and complicated. When Paul wrote his letter to the church in Ephesus, he encouraged them to evaluate how they loved each other.
He tells them to be meek and lowly; in other words, to be humble, which is the opposite of selfishness. In our lives today, being self-centered can damage friendships, family, and marriages. Humility means that we push our own feelings and desires aside and care more about others than ourselves.
The next word Paul uses is "longsuffering," which means "patient." When we operate in patient love, we commit to staying with the people we love for the long haul. We don't walk away as soon as things get complicated or challenging. We demonstrate the kind of patience that others will have to show us someday.
The last words of encouragement in this Scripture passage are "forbearing one another in love." Sometimes we have to bear with one another, although that does not mean we should allow toxic relationships in our lives. It means we realize that no one is perfect, and we all need God's help. So, we allow each other to make mistakes and forgive each other when needed. We let love be the basis for everything we say and do.
Our love for God should be reflected in how we love each other. God is loving and patient with us. He never leaves us, even when we are difficult to love. We should treat each other with the same attitude—and with God's help, we can.
Lord, sometimes I am disappointed in my relationships with others. Maybe my expectations of them aren't fair. Perhaps I want to be loved without having to show love in return. Please enable me to love, even when I don't want to and it's difficult. Make me meek, patient, and loving in how I treat others. I know that people who do not know you may not want to accept your love, but I need your love every day. Help my actions to be like yours. Thank you for your love for me. In Jesus' name, amen.
If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.
-C.S. Lewis
God will not look you over for medals, degrees or diplomas but for scars.
-Elbert Hubbard
The Christian does not think God will love us because we are good, but that God will make us good because He loves us.
-C.S. Lewis
"If you want to know what God thinks of money, just look at the people he gave it to.
-Dorothy Parker
