Reading: Ephesians 5: 15-20

Verse 15: “Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity”.

In today’s passage Paul touches on a very familiar theme in scripture: how one lives. The church in Ephasus was mostly made up of Gentiles. They would not have grown up in the church or in the Jewish faith. The ways of the world would be their norm. But as it had been since the first strokes of the Law were recorded in Moses’ day, God’s people were to be set apart or to be different from the world. Our passage today begins with these words: “Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity”.

Paul often contrasts wise lives with foolish living. The words he chose could very well have been ‘obedient’ versus ‘sinful’ or ‘godly’ versus ‘worldly’. Paul encourages those in the churches in and around Ephasus to “understand what the Lord’s will is”. For Paul this understanding will lead to wise or faithful or godly living. The Christian traits that Paul has been developing in chapters four and five are humility, gentleness, patience, forbearance, honesty, compassion, and forgiveness. When one lives out these traits in the world, others will be drawn to the faith. The world will be curious about the joy, love, peace, and hope shining out from the Christians they encounter. This attraction will allow us to make “the most of every opportunity” as we share our faith with a world in need.

Verse fifteen continues to speak to us today. To be wise in how we live covers so many areas. It has grown far beyond how we act at the bar on a Friday night or how we gossip at the local coffee shop. How we Christians act and represent ourselves on social media immediately comes to mind. Too many turn from posting a scripture quote to posts condemning or railing against this person or that group and then back to posting a cute little faith meme. If this is our practice then the value of our witness is quickly lost to the eyes of the world. The long-held critiques of Christianity are soon heard once again: hypocrite, judgmental, condemning…

My friends may we be careful in how we live. May we be wise and not unwise. Doing so we will be able to make the most of our opportunities to share and witness to the faith we live. May it be so.

Prayer: Lord God, help me to be wise in how I live, guiding me ever with the voice of the Holy Spirit. May the Spirit’s conviction draw me up short whenever I am tempted to speak or share unwise or hurtful things. Thank you, Lord. Amen.