Have you ever sat on a bench or in a corner and watched people as they walked by? Now, I don’t recommend being creepy about it as you might cause a stir. But, perhaps in the past, at the coffee shop, or by chance while waiting for someone else. Each person with their own style, their own stride, their own bounce or trot. I can think of a few favorite movies that I could not imagine being played by someone else because of a particular personal swagger they added to a stellar role.
Myself, I work on cement floors and put in about 13000, steps a day and according to my smart watch near 19000, on a double shift. I have 3 pairs of shoes I wear throughout the week and each one helps out in its own way with my feet, back, and overall comfort to my work day. However, the incredible thing is how the insoles of each pair breaks down in the same spot. That is obviously because of the way that I walk. 
It would not be, unless I had specially made shoes, possible to change the way that I walk. Or perhaps, training to build muscle and awareness, so I could properly be prepared with intent of change.
Have you ever thought about the way you walk? If I were to ask you to see the idea of walking as a metaphor for “living”, would that be too far of a stretch? Last week I shared a passage of scripture:
As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. Ephesians 4:1-3
In the first part of Ephesians, Paul was making sure the Christians in Ephesus knew who they were in Christ. I believe chapter 4 is then a turning point. Paul is truly concerned about the way that we, as Christians, are to walk and live, are to recognize who we are in Christ and what we know to be true about the Gospel. I would also add that if we know this Gospel to be true, then according to Paul and the scripture above, it should change the way we live. Who we are in Christ Jesus is how we are to live in unity.
As a response to God’s calling on our lives, we answer by believing and accepting a relationship with Christ Jesus and by walking a path with selfless love. This should be a new life style and new habits, a new standard to walk worthily in a nature to be recognized as a child of God in all that we do.
I had a great time with a new friend this past week. He invited my family over for dinner. It was fantastic by the way! This was our first “get together” of many I hope. We ate, chatted, drank some coffee and talked some more. I even went back for round two after taking my family home to get ready for bed. Too weird? Spending time with other Christians in fellowship is a fantastic gift God has given us. As I was leaving that evening I had mentioned this blog and I gave an answer to why I write. I had never really put it into words before that night and to my surprise what I said was different than I expected my answer would have been. I simply told Josh that I hope it brings encouragement to others, but also, I believe it is to hold myself accountable. Accountable to walk that life worthy of the calling I have received. Not to write one thing, and live differently, but to show Christ’s selfless love to all those around me.
As we journey together in unity, let us encourage each other but hold one another accountable; Learn from each other, and through the Word of God, live life together in fellowship through hospitality. Through these gifts from God, let us raise up His Church. Let each one of us have the world view that would cause us to walk in a way that would bring glory to God. Live in a manner that we would be seen so differently by the world around us, in our everyday, in our every circle, that we would not be seen as hypocrites but as the loving family of Christ.
So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. Ephesians 4:11-15
Keep going, you got this!
Bearded By Grace 
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