Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body.  “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,  and do not give the devil a foothold.  He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.  And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.  Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.  Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Ephesians 4:25-5:2

Is it possible to do something good, only to spoil it with a bad attitude or angry outburst?  You bet! Been there – done that.
We’ve all heard the phrase “walk the talk” as a charge to us Christians to let our good deeds back up the good words we say about God.    This week’s passage, Ephesians 4:25-5:1 looks at the words/deeds partnership from the opposite angle.  Paul directs us to let our speech be consistent with our faith.
In last week’s passage, Ephesians 4:17-24, Paul wrote about living out of our new Christian identity instead of our old pre-Christian existence. This week’s text has an additional word about actions, the works of our hands.  In verse 28, Paul says that instead of using our hands to steal from others, we should put our hands to better use, working with them, and then opening them in generosity towards the needy.
But what of the person who works hard, but with a grumpy attitude?  What of the Christian who labors from 8-4:30, enjoying his co-workers, only to come home and treat his family badly? In this week’s passage, Paul says that our words as well as our deeds can reflect that we are God’s people.   How does this happen?   We live out of our new identity as God’s children, patterning our lives after Jesus, living lives of love with hope and energy drawing on his indwelling, unlimited power.
run to Sunday!