v 18. Pray for us, for our conscience is clear and we want to live honourably in everything we do.
The writer of this letter had a deep-down desire to live a life that pleased God, and he wanted his readers to have the same motivation, so he prays for them, in verse 21, ‘ May he equip you with all you need for doing his will. May he produce in you through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to him. ‘
This is not pleasing God in order to be accepted by Him, but rather pleasing Him because of all that He has done already to establish a right relationship with Himself. So reflect for a moment on what it means to live honourably in everything we do. This is not just about the quality of our spiritual life, where we aim to please God, but also the nature of our everyday existence in the hurly-burly of the 21st century and its varied demands.
to live honourably in everything we do will also mean gaining a good reputation in work and in our local community. It involves us in being good payers of our bills, careful drivers on the road, helpful neighbours, and contributors to society rather than just making demands of it. This short phrase covers the whole of my life; it points to usefulness rather than idleness, giving, not just taking, and fulfilling promises that I have made.
Pray that our neighbours see us as honourable people.