Ephesians 4:25-32

Ephesians 4:25-32
English Standard Version (ESV)

  Discipleship is hard.
  We want it to be easy, for the path to follow Christ to be clear and straight and flat, where we get some rewards from God without giving up too much.  We'll sacrifice a little, but not enough to hurt.  We'll be extra nice to the people we like, and we'll go out of our way once in a while for people we kinda know, making a big deal out of it, hoping that God is impressed by our extra efforts.
  In reality, God calls us to complex, whole life discipleship.  It requires re-shaping our words, thoughts and deeds, so that every moment of our lives is captive to the love of God, and that we avoid sin with every ounce of effort we can muster.  We seek Christ in all things, letting every day be an opportunity to serve him with glad and faithful hearts.  We let anger and sin slide away, replaced with love and service.
  It's hard work, but it is not one lifelong leap -- it's the culmination of individual, moment-by-moment and day-by-day choices we make to follow Christ, that builds us up into the kind of people we are created to be, selfless and loving servants of God.