“And walk in love, (esteeming and delighting in one another) as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering, and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma” (Ephesians 5:2 NKJV).
We do not hear the word “esteem” very much in our culture, but the Scripture tells us to esteem and delight in one another. One definition of esteem is “to hold in high regard.” That means we are to honor and value one another, even if we do not always agree. They may not always act honorably, but we are to honor and esteem people because they are valuable in the eyes of God.
If you had a very costly and valuable piece of jewelry, you would not just wear it to the gym or leave it on the kitchen sink. No, you would treat it carefully. You would put it in a safe place and protect it. When we see others as valuable the way God sees them, we would treat them carefully. We speak respectfully. We look for the good in others and honor them for who God made them to be. The Scripture tells us that the way we treat others is like sowing seeds, and it will come back to us. Choose to esteem and delight in one another. Sow good seeds, and you will see a harvest of blessing in your own life!
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, today I choose love. I choose to honor the people around me. Help me to see the value in others the way You see the value in me. Help my actions and words to esteem and delight in others so that I can be an example of Your love and light. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
By
Richard and Daisy Walden, NAAV Supporters and Volunteer Contributors, Florence, SC; email: info@naavets.org.