Eph. 4:1-2 I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness, with longsuffering bearing with one another in love...
We are called Christians. And with that comes a certain expectation by others and by ourselves of how we should act or live our lives. Certainly, even though we are Christians, we are far from perfect and should never claim to be. But I think, with God's help, we have a responsibility to do our best to conduct ourselves in a manner that would be pleasing to Him and glorify Him. This is what the apostle Paul calls "walking worthy". He declares that our label as Christians should not only be fitting but evident and our lives a daily demonstration of our calling.
Paul offers three characteristics of "worthy walking" believers. First, we need to be humble (lowly) and not prideful. Always esteeming others better than ourselves (Phil. 2:3). Second, we must be meek and not provokable. We must possess a mild and forgiving spirit (2 Cor. 10:1, Gal. 5:23). And finally, we must be longsuffering and not perturbed. Patience is easily lost and often hard to find. All too quickly and easily we find faults and shortcomings in others while forgetting that we too have them. We must bear with one another in "agape" or unconditional love despite our flaws.
These three characteristics aren't idealistic and unachievable. They do not require superhuman ability or suffering, just an everyday conscious effort to employ. They are not "loud" virtues and as such do not draw attention to themselves. The Barnes Bible Commentary, on these verses, says it best.
"It is not by great deeds only, not by great sufferings only; it is by the daily and quiet virtues of life (the walking worthy as I see it) that good is to be done; and in this all may be useful."
Sock Monkey Snippet: Walk worthy of your calling.
