Living as God’s people involves improving the quality of relationships. In this passage we find Paul’s guidance, as a ‘prisoner’ of Jesus, about these relationships. The starting point is Jesus himself and remembering that everything is from Him and in Him. Therefore no-one is better than any other. God’s people are likened to a ‘body’ with each member having a part in its proper functioning.

What are the traits that contribute to building up this body? Paul mentions them as humility, gentleness, patience, forbearance and all done in love. Also gifts have been given to people by Jesus for the building up of the body. These gifts are to be used for equipping people to serve one another, promote unity and bring each one to maturity.

All of God’s people, however, have a part to play in displaying Jesus’ love … just like the human body has different parts. They are to strengthen the unity of the body with Jesus Christ as the head by speaking the truth to one another in love.