Galatians 5:26
“Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another.”
One of the things I love most about these final verses in Galatians 5 is the sense of togetherness about them. Verse 24 described what a follower of Christ is, followed by the words “let us” in verse 25 when Paul talked about following the Spirit. Today’s verse starts with another “let us” — almost as if we are covenanting together about how we will live the Christian life in community.
If we were to use this verse to make a corporate agreement about how we will follow the Spirit together, what would that covenant look like? Probably something like this:
1. No one is better than anyone else in this community. Let’s make sure we keep that in mind and stay humble together.
2. You know my buttons and I know yours. Let’s not push them.
3. When we notice awesome qualities or things about each other, let’s celebrate those instead of becoming jealous or comparing ourselves.
How would your life be more free if you lived with others like that? How could you follow this covenant keeping it focused on connection with the Spirit rather than turning it into (yet another) rules-based system?
Here’s your freedom for today: building community takes time and intentionality, but it is how the Christian life was meant to be lived. A covenant has to be sought after and valued by two or more people equally for it to work. We can never force this type of lifestyle onto anyone else, just as God never forces his way into our lives. If you don’t know anyone who would connect with you in these ways, start by using it as a template for your own behavior as you interact with others throughout your day. Look for people who are living their life in a similar way and put as much effort as you can into developing those relationships.