TODAY’S VERSE
Ephesians 4:16
From whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. (ESV)
Andy Bernard (from The Office) once said, “I wish there was a way to know you’re in ‘the good old days’ before you’ve actually left them.” For me, “the good old days” were college — back before real responsibility, when I had all the freedom in the world. Usually, it looked like this: Naps and Taco Bell whenever I wanted, and I got to live with my best friends and just goof off. What a time! But the real reason college was so formative for me was because of the growth that took place in my life. When you live in a dorm surrounded by your best friends, there’s no way to hide. No bad day goes unnoticed, and no sin or fault goes unrebuked.
The question was asked on Sunday: “Who can see if you’re becoming more or less like Jesus?” Honestly, up until college, I’m not sure I would’ve asked myself this question. But during my time in school, I found brothers who could hold me accountable, call me out, and speak the truth to me because they knew me and loved me. These guys could see beyond any sort of mask or wall I put up and encouraged me to look more like Jesus. Were these friends of mine perfect? Not at all! But I knew they were chasing after Jesus, and that pushed me to do the same.
Paul talks a lot about the body of Christ. The idea that, just like a body is made up of many different parts, so is the Church. And just like a body works best when each part functions together, so do we as the Church. We need godly people around us to encourage us and call us out. People who will point out where we’re winning and highlight areas where we need to grow. Which is why groups are so important! We need to be in community with people who can see us at our best, but also at our worst. People who can point us back to Jesus time and time again.
APPLICATION
Do you have someone who can see if you’re becoming more or less like Jesus? If you don’t, consider joining a group! If you do have this person, have you completed Scott’s homework assignment from Sunday?
PRAYER
Read Ephesians 4:29, then pray for God to give you the opportunity to encourage someone today by telling them how you see them becoming more like Jesus.