Every person can choose to be vibrant, and such a life begins by emulating Jesus. Each character trait that we are called to embrace, every action of kindness or love, and each word of compassion or tenderness is a telling reflection of Christ within us. We are called to be a vibrant show-and-tell of what God is able to accomplish through one ordinary person.
Whitaker House
Day 1
Scripture: Ephesians 4:25-27
We were never placed on planet earth to live separate and apart from others; the plan of the Father, from the garden of Eden forward, was for us, as His dear children, to discover the satisfaction and wonder of human relationships. It is in partnering with others in the family, in the church, or in the workplace that we explore the healthy kinship that was meant to enlarge us.
If there is one location that the enemy diligently endeavors to saturate with grief, rejection, and annoyance, it is in human relationships. And if there is one place that the Lord desires to bless with fulfillment, contentment, and unconditional love, it is in human relationships.
We belong to each other and we should treat one another as we desire to be treated ourselves. I have realized over the course of my life that my goal is to speak to other people the way that I want people to speak to my children. I do hope that people will tell my children the truth, but I want them to be both wise and kind in their honest approach.
God desires for His children to be healthy emotionally and the only way for this to happen is if you choose to forgive the one who caused your anger quickly, thoroughly, and before the next day dawns.
The Father knows what kind of long-term damage anger can do to your heart. He always knows best and He’s begging you to let it go.
The father of lies will deceive you into believing that you have a right to be angry. But you, my vibrant friend, do not have the right to embrace anger as a lifelong companion. You, who have been forgiven of much, must become an expert at forgiveness.
The devil is prowling around looking for some unsuspecting yet angry Christian to devour in the darkness of the night. That’s the enemy’s favorite time to pounce on us and that is the very reason why the Holy Spirit has advised us not to let the sun go down on our anger. The Father is inviting you today to live an anger-free life that is at once glorious and fruitful! We serve a loving God who leads by example and has forgiven you of your sins quickly and completely. The noble and remarkable life of your dreams is generously available with your choice to forgive.
Day 2
Scriptures: Colossians 3:23-24, 1 Timothy 6:17-19
The Holy Spirit has reminded us repeatedly to live a life of peace and to resist worry. We have been coached several times to be gentle in our dealings with others and to live a life of thanksgiving. I wonder why the Holy Spirit determined it was necessary to tell us the same things over and over again?
I believe the Holy Spirit gave us this vital reiteration of instruction because He knew that human beings are sometimes slow learners. The Holy Spirit, in His ever-so-patient ways, has taken the time and the opportunity to remind us of these foundational issues often in Scripture…and for that, I am grateful, aren’t you?
The Lord is inviting us to cultivate a glorious lifestyle that is free from jealousy, coveting, and even mentally embezzling what does not belong to us. If something does not belong to you, then don’t abscond with it, either mentally, emotionally, or tangibly.
When you’re exhausted and spent from a long day of work, one of the most satisfying feelings in the world occurs as you lay your head down on your pillow at night. No matter what your work entailed (cleaning, leading, fixing, weeding, organizing, repairing, dusting, counseling, nurturing, or any number of accomplishments), if you have worked with your mind set on God, you can rest knowing that you had a productive and God-honoring day.
Work hard but work with joy! Work diligently but work with generosity! Work heartily and remind yourself often that you are working to honor the Lord!
At the end of this painfully practical verse, Paul finally gets to the purpose of living an honest and industrious life: due to your diligence, you are now able to share with others what you have earned through your integrity. Honesty becomes noble when you give generously to others. Conscientious work becomes exponentially more purposeful when you are laboring to give to missionaries, to the church, and to kingdom expansion.
Generosity is an exciting and incomparable aspect of our ability to live a life of joy and purpose. You will never live the life of your dreams by hoarding or with selfish behavior. When you splash lavishly in the virtue of generosity, you will discover the reason for which you were made!
Day 3
Scripture: Ephesians 4:29-30
One of the most daunting deterrents in your quest to experience a life of unmatched vibrancy is no one other than you! Often it is self that gets in the way of embracing every day as if it is a miracle, every person as if he or she is a gift, and every moment as a new opportunity for significance.
I know that I can only speak for myself, not for you, but I take full responsibility for all of those times when I have removed kindness from my list of appropriate responses and for choosing to hang onto past pain rather than releasing it. Paul has dynamic advice for those of us who admit our own weakness when it comes to the treatment of others. It is simple advice and uncomplicated wisdom that comes from the heart of the Father through the pen of Paul.
Paul and the Holy Spirit have teamed up to help us with that muscular little organ that lies between our pearly whites. The injunction is this, “Don’t ever, not even one time, allow an unwholesome word to come out of your mouth. Don’t do it! You’ll regret it! You were made for more than this!”
Although you might consider this to be conjecture on my part, we can be sure that the heart of the Holy Spirit was intent on communicating His deep sadness over the way that we speak to one another.
The word that the Holy Spirit whispered into Paul’s ear to use concerning this situation is grieve. It is only possible to grieve someone who loves you dearly. Isn’t it wonderful to know that you are loved dearly by the Holy Spirit? He longs to have a personal and precious relationship with you.
Oh! I don’t want to be guilty of grieving someone who loves me dearly, do you? I long for my life to be a fragrant aroma not a vile odor to the Holy Spirit. I have learned that pleasing the Holy Spirit is more than just reading my Bible, giving my tithe, or spending time on my knees in prayer. The Holy Spirit is pleased with my life when I speak words of grace even in contentious situations.
Day 4
Scripture: Ephesians 4:31
When a person initially becomes a Christian, an inside job happens that will cause that person to come alive in unseen ways. Sins are instantly and miraculously forgiven, which is an inner and eternal work. In the deepest parts of one’s personhood, an intimate knowledge of God is now found and the desire is quietly birthed to please Him with all one’s ways. The difference in one’s soul is profound; there is fresh purpose, sweet revelation, and the certainty that you are loved completely by the One who created you.
Then comes the moment when the inner work must reveal itself in outer actions and words. This profound change is too great not to make a marked difference in the way that a person conducts himself or herself. This miraculous cleansing cannot just stay hidden but it must reveal itself for the world to see. The life and character of Christ, which is now in you, must come out of you. It’s time to live like you mean it!
You will truly begin to live the life that God meant for you to live when you simply get rid of a few character traits that are holding you back from fullness, authenticity, and purpose. These attitudes and activities are never acceptable, they are never fulfilling and they are never Christlike.
If we were friends and you arrived at my home wearing an outfit that was inappropriate for the occasion or fit atrociously, I would gently offer you something else to wear. So consider me your friend today as I help you with your emotional wardrobe. Perhaps there are some outdated emotions in your emotional wardrobe that you need to toss. Maybe you have some imperfect attitudes and habits hanging in the closet of your heart that honestly don’t look very good on you. You are going to love the wonderful freedom that you experience when you refuse to wear these emotional garments that are constricting and ill-fitting.
Cleaning out our emotional closets is not always easy, but Paul offers invaluable help and surprising expertise in this venture. He even has a list for you to consider in the cleaning process in Ephesians 4:31. These are the things that you need to proactively search for and then dispose of completely and immediately. This is part of the discipline that it takes to live a vibrant life of incomparable joy!
Day 5
Scripture: Ephesians 4:32
I have a challenge for you today. Make a list of the qualities that you wish you had in a best friend. Would you want this friend to be a good listener? A servant? Have a good sense of humor? To be kind?
After you have made your list, then you become that person! You become the friend that you wish you had!
If I were to make a list of the attributes that I deeply desired in a friend, I believe that Paul’s list, found in Ephesians 4:32, would match my list. And so, today, I will become that person.
I will be kind to the people in my life. I will use kind words and exhibit kind actions. I will even begin to think kind thoughts about the people in my life. How amazing to understand that the Father is thinking kind thoughts about me all day long! I must begin to think like my Father thinks. Kindness always takes the initiative and so I will be assertively kind.
I will become increasingly tenderhearted. I will not judge others or try to control their actions, but I will be compassionate toward them and endeavor to be sincerely sympathetic. I am humbled by the Father’s tender heart toward me and I will remind myself often that having and demonstrating a tender heart runs in the family.
I will constantly and generously forgive others. I will not hold onto hurts or petty grudges, but I will lavishly and generously allow the forgiveness of the Father to pour through me. I will remind myself often that it is more fun to forgive. I will confess forgiveness with my mouth even before I experience it in my heart. I will be the most extravagant forgiver of my entire generation! I will forgive much because I have been forgiven much by the One who loves me most and knows me best.
Every character trait that we are called to embrace, every action of kindness or love, and each word of compassion or tenderness is a telling reflection of the Jesus in us. You are invited to live with the purpose of the gospel and demonstrate the character of God through every cell of your body! You are called to be a vibrant show-and-tell of what God is able to accomplish through one ordinary person. Now do it!