The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Ephesians 4:25-29, “Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth, each one of you, with his neighbor, for we are members of one another.

26 Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger,

27 and do not give the devil an opportunity.

28 Let him who steals steal no longer; but rather let him labor, performing with his own hands what is good, in order that he may have something to share with him who has need.

29 Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, that it may give grace to those who hear.”

Ever so often a woodpecker flies into my back yard. Woodpeckers are interesting both to see and to hear. What’s of particular interest is not knowing when he is going to peck and when he is going to stop pecking. The Apostle Paul is somewhat like that. He transitions quickly from subject to subject, making it difficult to comment on small portions of this theses.

In the verses above, Paul emphasizes truth –speaking only truth. That’s wise counsel,

because it becomes a guarantee of everything that is said. People who sometimes tell the truth, leave us wondering what part of what they’re saying is true and what is not.

It is not a sin to be angry. That’s a normal reaction to a lot of things, even people. But, don’t let that anger continue to boil within you. Keep short accounts. Anger likes to linger. What’s more, Satan is excited to see anger linger within us because it stifles love.

Theft is seldom an option. Maybe your neighbor is not home and the tool he possesses is just what you need for the moment. Taking the tool without the owner’s permission might be called theft; it depends largely upon the motive of the offender. Is he truly just borrowing it, or has he taken it with other intentions? Probably, the relationship of the two men will solve the mystery.

Paul prefers labor to theft. So should we all. Labor is productive; theft is destructive. Labor provides not only for the household of the laborer, it provides for the neighbor and his family, too. Sharing is a Christian virtue. Some sharing is ongoing in nature; some is incidental to the cause. Still, both are virtuous. Pray about what you should give, and to whom. None of what you possess is yours anyway! The performance of your own hands is ultimately the work of the LORD. Prayer allows His guidance.

Keep a clean mind and mouth. Close fellowship with the LORD guards both. If our minds are focused on Christ, what our mouths emit will be in agreement with our fellowship with Him. We need to remember that what we say will affect those who hear it.

I love good humor! We all need to laugh occasionally. Humor is edifying if used correctly. Buying milk at the store today, I told the clerk (who was wearing a mask) that the girl in my drive-through bank was wearing a mask. I quickly put up my hands and told her it was the first time in my life that my bank had robbed me! I’m probably wrong, but I want to believe that even Paul would have laughted at that.

We live in difficult days. We must not allow the troubles of the world to dig a grave for us. At the same time, we must allow the Holy Spirit to have thorough control; for as we do so, we will be giving “grace to those who hear.” May the LORD bless and lead us all!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”