Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. – 1 Corinthians 16:13
Gentleness is often equated with weakness, but nothing can be further from the truth. Imagine a strong man lifting a piano and setting it gently down on the floor, with no damage. That is gentle strength. Today’s verse speaks of such strength and courage to guard against the devil’s schemes, defend the faith and to act in love.
The next verse reads, “Let all that you do be done in love.” Love can be warm and welcoming, but it also can be tough as nails. Defensive tactics can be an act of love. Not letting someone do wrong is an act of love. Protecting the innocent from harm is an act of love. Christians are to be strong and courageous standing up for God’s Word. This kind of courage comes from the Holy Spirit. Sometimes it’s hard to take a stand when everyone else is standing against God and His principles.
Believers are to stand for Him with a Christlike attitude. Jesus described Himself as “gentle and lowly in heart” (Matthew 11:29). And He also drove money changers out of the temple (John 2:13-16). Stand strong in the Lord. Pray for boldness to keep the faith and live for Him. Pray for elected officials that they won’t buckle under pressure but stand for what is right. Pray and ask God to fill you with the Holy Spirit and gentleness will be a natural result. “The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23).
Today’s Verse: 1 Corinthians 16:13
Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.
All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Recommended for further reading: 1 Corinthians 13
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.
4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. 11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.
13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
