“Be ye followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour” (Ephesians 5:1,2).

“For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord,: walk as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8).

“See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise” (Ephesians 5:15).

Follower of God and child of God — that is my identity, that is what I am.

What I am determines how I walk — in love (2), in light (8), in carefulness (15).

Is it unrealistic of God to expect me to place each step that way?

No. No, it isn’t unrealistic of Him. Because the greatest reality of all is that He made (and makes!) provision for me to be and to walk. Notice a few more verses from this chapter:

“Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing to water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish” (25-27).

Wow!

“I . . . beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called” (Ephesians 4:1).

I have been called to life in Jesus. Now I must live in a way that fits that vocation, that calling.

Interestingly, verses two and three add to the thought and context, stressing some character traits that fit my calling in Jesus: lowliness, meekness, longsuffering, forbearance, love, unity.

Living a life fitting of Jesus could not be more unnatural to me. But that’s OK. I’m heartened again by verse 7:

“But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.”

By His grace I can “walk worthy” — live a life that fits.

Speaking of grace, as I noted yesterday, I can be a channel of grace to others. This concept comes through again in verse 29:

“Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.”

By my speech I can build up others so that they too may walk worthy of their calling in Jesus.

I don’t do that much. 🙁