In episode 196, “How to Human”, Brooke & Faren discuss the meaning of Ephesians 4:1-3 in the Bible. Hear what Paul says to the Ephesians about a basic attributes to have in order to live out your Christian walk. Learn how to pray about it, talk about it with others, and live out how this scripture applies to everyday life. The Ephesians mini series begins on episode 194 and goes through episode 198 of the Witty & Gritty podcast.
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Read Paul’s List of Attributes
The book of Ephesians is full of sage advice, particularly in chapter four when Paul gives quick glance on how to human. By “how to human”, we mean in this particular string of verses, Paul covers a few attributes that Christians should be living out in our daily lives. Before we jump into the verse, remember that it’s important to read for context. Take a few minutes today and read Ephesians chapters 1-3, and then catch back up right here.
“Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.”
Ephesians 4:1-3
Keep in mind that this list isn’t made for non believers, but for those who are chasing after God. We take a moment in this part of the podcast episode to talk about verse two. There will be conflict in any relationship, so memorizing verse two would be an excellent reminder to oneself about how to human. We walk through examples, and how this can look in your life.
Pray Over These Qualities
As we read and walk through Ephesians 4:1-3, we can see that these qualities on how to human do not come naturally. This is why we must rely on God to equip us with these. Pray over these, look for opportunities to use them, and do your best to stick with it. Use the list below to help you pinpoint where you may be struggling, and then see which of these attributes is needed.
- Patience
- Humble
- Gentle
- Gracious
- United
- Peaceful
There will be seasons of life where some will come more naturally than others. Maybe you’ve always been patient, and then you had kids. Perhaps you were always pretty humble, and then the promotion got to your head. We all struggle from time to time, so it’s great to learn your habits, and know when to intentionally pray over these areas in your life. Go to God, ask for help, and follow what He tells you to do.
Talking Through Conflict
Remember earlier when we read and talked about verse two? “Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.” When conflict arises, it’s so important to have healthy, spiritual conflict resolution. Part of how to human, is being able to talk it out in a way that represents God well.
- Pray over the conflict itself
- Use empathy
- Be humble, gentle, patient, and gracious
- Allow for each other’s faults
- Love one another
Ephesians 4:2 is an excellent starting place for when any altercation happens. Verse three drives this points further, “Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.” We are to remember whose side we’re on (God), and act like it. Stay unified in the Spirit, with peace.
Telling Kids How to Solve Problems
Part of stewardship in parenting is teaching all the hard stuff. How to human as a kid looks like solving problems and fixing fights. This is where you come in with your Biblical wisdom. Teach Ephesians 4:1-3, walk through each of the verses with them, and guide them through their specific conflicts.
In this part of the episode, we give specific examples with our kids, what works, and what we want to do next time. If you’re wanting to know how we have these converations with our kids, be sure to scroll back up and press play.
We hope you enjoyed episode 196, “How to Human”, through our © Read Pray Talk Tell Method. Now it’s up to you to work through the Bible chapter discussed, pray about this verse using the prompts given, have biblical community around this verse, and go point others to Christ with the tips we give. Remember, when you read, pray, talk, tell consistently, you’ll grow your faith in God more deeply. Tune in next week to hear another breakdown of a Bible verse!
