I grew up in Miami swimming in the Atlantic Ocean, where the waves are mild, and the water is warm. I spent numerous weekends in the water skimboarding, bodyboarding, and boogie boarding. Then in my teen years, my parents took us to Hawaii, where the waves of the Pacific Ocean were way more intimidating. The crests of the waves were way taller than I was, and the water was freezing compared to the Atlantic! Needless to say, my first attempts at boogie boarding were not successful. If you have ever been caught in a wave, then you know how helpless it feels to be tossed around by the weight of the water, which at times makes you feel like you are drowning. Life can feel that way at times, can’t it? Difficult circumstances, tense relationships, and painful experiences can overwhelm us in the same way a large wave can toss us around.
If you woke up this morning feeling overwhelmed, like if you are under the current of a giant wave, I encourage you to remember that the above verses are the result of being rooted in what Paul wrote earlier in chapter four of Ephesians. That we are planted and rooted in our calling (Jesus calls us His very own sons and daughters). That we are to live out the culture of Jesus (humility, gentleness, patience, bearing with one another, and peace). That our divine assignment (our spiritual gifts) is meant to complement and build one another up. These three truths, calling, culture, and complementary gifts bring us incredible confidence to speak the truth in love and build each other up in love!
The question is, how are we going to do that today? Our lives are filled with people who are overwhelmed by the cards they have been dealt and/or the consequences that they are dealing with. So, for us who are confident in Jesus, who is one person we can speak the truth in love to today? How can we build others up in love today?