Walking Differently

13 Jan Walking Differently

Read Ephesians 5:1-12
Thought for the Day: How do we walk?

The practice of firewalking dates back to 1200 BC. Firewalking is exactly what it sounds like: an individual walks with bare feet over burning coals. The French sociologist Emile Durkheim (1858-1917) believed that firewalking was an activity that could be used to unify a group around an exciting common event. He argued that if you could get a whole group of people to come together for something like firewalking, they would have a positive group experience. This, he argued, would lead to a stronger sense of community. But, there is just one major problem . . . firewalking requires walking on fire! Ouch!

Writing to the Church at Ephesus, the Apostle Paul shared a better way to bring people together than asking them to walk on burning coals. Paul said, “Walk in love, as Christ loved us.” Walking in love means following the example of Christ and thinking of others first. Walking in love means learning to sacrifice on behalf of others instead of worrying about what we might lose. And, walking in love means accepting others who view the world differently than we do just like Jesus did in the Gospels. Now more than ever, our world needs Christians who walk in love and follow the example of Christ!

The problem is that many people think that things will only be better if they can persuade others to their way of thinking. Often our communities are divided because one group doesn’t get its way when someone else is making decisions. When they finally get the opportunity to make decisions themselves, the group that was previously in control is now just as upset because they don’t like what the others decide. The Bible teaches us to live differently than this. Our goal should be to love others and show them how much God cares about them. When we do this, we have an opportunity to bring healing, and the Holy Spirit uses our actions to show others who Christ really is!

As we face the new year together, let’s learn to walk differently. Let’s unite together and walk in love as we follow the example of our Savior!

In Christ,
Pastors Stan and David