Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Ephesians 4:2
Have you ever felt deeply frustrated by someone’s behavior?
A business owner had reached the end of his patience. The supplier he’d recently hired was always late, often rude, and difficult to work with. Feeling angry, the businessman decided to search for the supplier’s name online, intending to post a very negative review.
But the first thing he saw stopped him: several articles described how the supplier had lost both his daughters in a drunk driving accident just six months earlier. Suddenly, he understood. The man’s behavior was still wrong, but now there was compassion. He closed the computer and prayed.
Does personal pain excuse bad behavior? No. But it often helps us understand it. And that is why God says to us, “Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love” (Ephesians 4:2).
Being gentle and patient means we’re slow to judge and here’s why: A psychologist explains, “Behind every behavior is a feeling. And beneath each feeling is a need.”[1] That doesn’t mean we stop holding people accountable—but it means we respond with love, not revenge. Jesus did this. As He was being killed, He prayed, “Father, forgive them.” (Luke 23:34).
The next time someone is unkind, or fails you, stop and ask God for grace. It might mean calmly helping your frustrated child or choosing not to speak harshly to someone who has been difficult.
God sees the full story. And He asks you to walk in His way: with mercy, humility, and love.
[1] Siegel, Daniel J., and Tina Payne Bryson. The Whole-Brain Child: 12 Revolutionary Strategies to Nurture Your Child’s Developing Mind. Bantam Books, 2011.
