No Fake Ratings

Quit off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. Ephesians 4, verse 25. Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread.

No Fake Ratings was written by Marvin Williams and read by Stephen Taber. Ephesians chapter 4, verse 17 and also verses 22 through 32. So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do in the futility of their thinking.

And now picking up at verse 22. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires, to be made new in the attitude of your minds, and to put on the new self created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Therefore, each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. In your anger, do not sin, do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work doing something useful with their own hands that they may have something to share with those in need. Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage, and anger, brawling, and slander, along with every form of malice.

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. No Fake Ratings Written by Marvin Williams A ridesharing customer shared that he had endured a driver eating the world's smelliest fruit, another driver who was bickering with a girlfriend, and one who tried to get him to invest money in a Ponzi scheme. In each case, instead of a poor rating, he gave the drivers five stars. He explained, they all seemed like nice people, I didn't want them to be kicked off the app over my bad rating.

He gave false reviews, keeping the truth from the drivers and others. For different reasons, we might withhold the truth from others, but the Apostle Paul encouraged the Ephesian believers to lovingly speak the truth to one another as new creatures in Christ. This required cultivating habits of righteousness and holiness, living lives that were set apart for him and that reflected his ways. They were to replace lying with telling one another the truth because lies divide and disrupt, while truth unites us as believers. He wrote, Each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. Jesus empowers us with the courage to resist lying and giving one another fake ratings, things that can disrupt our unity with other believers. Living a life of love as He guides us will lead to our sharing kind and compassionate expressions of truth.

Let's pray. Lord, help us to speak the truth in love, building unity and trust among us as members of your body. Give us the courage to live in righteousness and holiness, reflecting your truth and compassion in all we do. Thank you, Father. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. As you go about your day, reflect on these questions. When are you tempted to withhold the truth from other believers? Why is it vital to share what's honest and true?