I urge you to live a life worthy

.... of the calling you have received, with all lowliness and gentleness, with long suffering, bearing with one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Ephesians 4:1-3).  The Lord called us before the foundation of the world, saved us,  and has blessed us with every spiritual blessing, and to be holy and without blame before Him in love (1:3, 4; 2:8, 9). Paul here calls us to live a life worthy of these and other privileges and benefits of this calling. He enlarges on what this means in the verses that follow.  But first and foremost is the preservation of the unity that was purchased for us at such great expense.  Paul here is urging us to get on board with God's primary purpose that  “He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth” (1:9, 10).

Note that we are not called to create unity.  It has already been accomplished  “for He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of hostility” (2:14). This preservation however,  takes humility, gentleness, longsuffering and bearing with one another in love.   Love is primary, and this love of which Paul speaks is the unconditional,  extravagant agape love of God.  Moreover this preservation of  unity is not to be done at the expense of conflict avoidance. Unity is neither uniformity,  nor  conformity. Indeed we are to speak the truth in love. It is only in this way that we can grow up in all things into Him who is the head (4:15).  Having said this, we must also note that the preservation of unity is to be done in the bond of peace (verse 3).

And this again is where humility and gentleness come in. If we are more interested in being right,  than preserving unity and peace,  we are not walking worthy of the call.  A peace-loving spirit will want to place more emphasis on the points  of  agreement,  rather  than on places where we disagree. We are to bear with one another in love in this regard. It is interesting to me that Jesus,  who of course spoke the truth in love,  would hold back for a time, because the disciples were not yet able to bear what He wanted to say to them (John 16:12).  Part of what this is saying to us, is that in preserving peace and unity, there is a timing of our speaking the truth in love.

Father, Your Word tells us that we are to be as wise as serpents and as harmless as doves.  Show us Lord what it means in practical terms,  for us to be eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.  Thank You Lord that we don't have to create unity, You already did that. And Lord help us to see that the places where we agree are,  many times much more important,  than the places where we disagree. Give us humble and gentle spirits and help us to truly bear with one another in love. And we will give Your the glory in Jesus Name Amen