"I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beseech you to walk worthily of the calling wherewithal ye were called, with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love" (Ephesians 4:1-2 RV)
The following devotional, or meditation as he calls it, is by Dr. R. H. Belton.
Paul now begins the practical portion of this epistle. In the light of the wonderful truths he has been giving to the Christians he now tells his readers how they should live. Paul proceeds from doctrine to duty. But he never tells the Christians to live a better life without first giving them solid doctrine to build upon. In this epistle it is the great doctrines of the believer's position in Christ and the formation of the church.
In his gracious way he beseeched his readers to walk so as to reveal three attitudes.
The first attitude is a lowly estimation of self. Walk worthily of the calling with all lowliness. Paul stresses this truth in his Epistle to the Philippians, "Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves" (Phil. 2:3). There is no place for arrogance or pride since the Christian's position, his high calling, is solely the result of God's grace. The believer has nothing in which he can boast.
The second attitude is meekness, that is, toward God. The word translated meekness means tamed. The Christian is a tamed person. In one of the Greek plays this word is used of a wild horse which has been brought under the control of the rider. It learned to obey and do the will of its master. Just so is the Christian to do the will of Christ.
The third attitude of the Christian is longsuffering toward others. This is a patient enduring of evil with unruffled temper. It means to put up with those who rub us the wrong way and to do it in love. One of the great faults among Christian people is that they cannot get along with other people.
To maintain this much needed attitude requires the power of the Holy Spirit. We must be "strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness" (Col. 1:11). One of the marks of a commendable minister of Christ is longsuffering and patience (2 Cor. 6:3-6).
There are two Greek words in the New Testament translated patience. One, found twelve times, has reference to patience with people. This is the word Paul uses in the text for the day. The other word refers to patience with things. Both are needed by the Christian.
The reason for walking worthily of our calling by manifesting these three attitudes is found in Paul's words, "giving diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (4:3). The Holy Spirit is never divisive, never cantankerous, and the person in whom the Spirit has control will be very easy to get along with.
Let us ask our hearts, "Am I walking worthily of the great calling which is mine? What is my attitude toward self, do I have a lowly estimation of myself? What is my attitude toward God, is it one of meekness, a willingness to do His will? What is my attitude toward others, is it one of longsuffering and forbearance?" May God search our hearts.