Shelby Olive

Ephesians 5:3-20
3 But sexual immorality and impurity of any kind or greed must not even be mentioned among you, as is proper among saints. 4 Entirely out of place is obscene, silly, and vulgar talk; but instead, let there be thanksgiving. 5 Be sure of this, that no sexually immoral or impure person or one who is greedy (that is, an idolater) has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes on those who are disobedient. 7 Therefore do not be associated with them, 8 for once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Walk as children of light, 9 for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true. 10 Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness; rather, expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to mention what such people do secretly, 13 but everything exposed by the light becomes visible, 14 for everything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,

“Sleeper, awake!
    Rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”

15 Be careful, then, how you live, not as unwise people but as wise, 16 making the most of the time, because the days are evil. 17 So do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to one another, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts, 20 giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ…

Reflection:
I recently found an old notebook that I used for my to-do lists. As I was turning through its pages, I happened upon a page with a checklist from a previous move, and it looked a little (exactly) like this:

  • 6/15 – Box up books
  • 6/16 – Finish all laundry, trash all other things you forgot to trash, empty refrigerator of all Tupperware
  • 6/17 – Wash all dishes, pack mugs (minus one), bag up clothes (minus work clothes)
  • 6/18 – Take down wall décor, bag towels/rags/linens, box décor
  • 6/19 – Pack small kitchen items
  • 6/21 – Clean utility closet, clean kitchen, pack rest of kitchen, clean bathroom
  • 6/22 – Get keys! Get sister’s stuff together, move clothes, move all kitchen, move bed, move dog’s stuff, fill out move-in survey, move whatever else I can
  • 6/23 – Family coming to deep clean rest of apartment. CHECK EVERYTHING
  • 6/24 – Turn in keys

If anyone else happened upon this list, they may be inclined to think, “Wow, what an organized person!” And on paper I absolutely was. But in practice? Well, in practice, this list might as well have been “trashed with all the other things I forgot to trash.” Moves are overwhelming enough on their own and, add to that a full-time job and a full-time course load, I was a bit… stretched. The reality was that most of the tasks that I had neatly divided out into nine days were really done in about three. And those three days were anything but organized. But you know what? It still got done, and everything was fine.

Today’s passage feels a little bit like that list: full of things to do and, quite honestly, overwhelming. Taken on its own, we see quickly that we don’t quite measure up to the instructions Paul leaves the Ephesians. But remember, these instructions are accompanied by an entire letter’s worth of the work that God has already accomplished for us. So if that’s the case, why include this list at all?

Because how we live matters. If God has included us in the family, then we also take on the family values. We treat each other and ourselves with dignity and respect. We watch how we speak. We seek out holy wisdom. Yes, the list is kind of extreme, and no, we won’t get it right all the time. But living the Christian life isn’t about crossing things off the to-do list in and of itself; it’s about being molded into the likeness of Christ so that others might be grafted into this family with us, that there would be a ripple effect throughout the world that would draw people near to God.

Prayer:
Dear God,
I admit that when I read the Scripture, I am all too easily overwhelmed and feel as though I already have too many strikes against me. But you insist that I belong to this family, so I ask that you would help me to live according to its values, not so that I can “earn” my place in your Kingdom but so that my own actions point to a God who is full of love and grace. Amen.