Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. - Philippians 4:5
I enjoy a fantastic relationship with my siblings but we had our moments when we were young. Many times my mom would interrupt the fighting, saying, “You better be careful, your father is almost home.” That would usually end it. My dad was the disciplinarian in our home and the fighting wasn’t worth the consequences.
Is that the sense that Paul says the words above? “Behave, or else you’ll have to deal with God.” Not at all. To be sure, the Lord despises and punishes sinful behavior, but that’s not what he’s saying here. God doesn’t want you to behave only when he’s around or because you’re afraid of him. That is not how the Lord works.
Your eternal future and position in God’s family are secure because of Jesus’ behavior, not yours. A gracious God loves you because of who he is and what he has done, not because of who you are or want you have done. It's called grace. As his child, God reshapes your behavior. His love for you in Christ transforms you and gives you a heart that beats like his. He is near, not to punish you because he’s already taken care of that in Jesus. He’s near with patience and love so you can be patient and loving. He’s near with forgiveness and grace, so you can forgive and be gracious.
You are going to interact with many people in your life. Not because you have to but because of who he's made you, “Let your gentleness be evident to all, the Lord is near.”
