Your Moderation. Philippians 4:5. “Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.” It is not always easy to see another person’s point of view on a matter if it differs significantly from our own. It is even harder to adjust to it. However, it is essential that we strive to understand their viewpoint and why it is important to them, and also whether it can be consistent with what we read in the scriptures. When we do that, we must review and carefully scrutinize our own point of view, applying the same tests to it.
Kindness (moderation) and gentleness toward others are essential when differences between us remain. We should not seek retribution against someone, even if we believe we have been treated unfairly. Instead of being vocal about our personal rights, we should show Christlike consideration for others, be reasonable, fair, and willing to make an effort to maintain our fellowship.
The motivation behind this is not only to have the right attitude and take appropriate action, but also to remember that the Lord is near and His coming could happen at any moment. To Him, time is not a concern because He is eternal in His being and existence. “Behold, I come quickly,” means we can expect Him at any time. There are no prophetic fulfillments needed to delay His coming. World events have always been tense because of sin. Wars, religious hypocrisy, crimes committed by evil people, and conflicts among people have always been common among sinful human beings.
However, there does seem to be an acceleration of evil in every way and every part of the world at this present time. At least in my eyes, “evil men and seducers are waxing worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.” All of these are indicators of the importance of God’s people being gentle, kind, and moderate in our interactions with others. When we see the Lord Jesus Christ, none of us want to be ashamed before Him “at His coming.” A glad and joyful meeting with our Lord needs to be cultivated now by our “moderation [being] known to all men,” believers and unbelievers alike.
On every side, there are temptations designed to make me covet. Advertising and the voices of hucksters insist that I must have whatever they put before me, or I will be missing out on something they want me to think is important. But in the Bible, I read that God intends me to be content with what I have, and if I need more, He will arrange for it to be sent from His gracious hand of provision. In conversations with others, our dialogue doesn’t have to be noisy and loud to get my point across. A moderate voice of reason is best, not the demands of pride and self-centered opinions. I should remember that in every conversation, an unseen Listener is present who knows the objectives behind my words, with knowledge infinitely keen and of infinite wisdom.
When there is work to do, whether it's a calling or a single task that needs completing, pace yourself moderately or your strength will give out. If you start something you can't finish, your credibility as a laborer for the Lord will quickly fade. In public participation, both when you pray and preach, don’t take too long expressing your point by using too many words, as you may think it makes you seem wise. The quiet snoring of the audience will soon put you in your place. Use moderation when speaking, because few words spoken plainly are what truly give understanding to the hearers.
When a stand must be taken to prevent controversy and possible division due to differing opinions, do so with moderation, gentleness, and kindness. Side with God and clearly state what the Bible says. With moderation, oppose the minions of the tempter who travel back and forth across the land, seeking to thwart God’s purposes of grace if they can.
When your children reach an age where they must choose their career path, whether to trust what you have taught them or to follow the persuasive professors whose classes they attend, be moderate in your expectations and gentle but firm in your guidance—there is too much at stake. If you take an overly strict approach and their anger is mixed with fear, you risk losing the respect of those children you cherish, and they may dismiss your years of counsel and guidance. When I am aware of this, I realize the Lord is near, possibly calling me to Him today. This awareness helps me in making decisions because I am just a man with limited understanding but fully conscious of my conscience. I tend toward stubbornness and need to pause and consider the importance of moderation—lest I infringe on others' rights and hinder the desired outcome of a situation.
Joy is present when we realize we are in Christ and He dwells in us. Joy and holiness are linked, and God's peace results regardless of any problems we face. We find joy when the Lord can use us in His service and we are willing to serve. Joy also comes from seeing the results of spiritual work and from feeling the Lord's presence with us. We are joyful when we think about His promise to return. Everything is known by Him, and in every situation, our Lord is involved. Therefore, with concern for others and a willingness to consider their judgment, we should be open to their opinions without sacrificing what is right. Others are positively influenced when we are reasonable, fair, and patient.
Considering others and trying to understand why their lives are different from ours is an act of moderation and patience that will help them trust the words we say and the actions we take, which might be difficult to accept at first. Our hope is that later, they will understand why we spoke words of correction or understanding with gentleness. We do this for their own good, knowing that “A soft answer turns away wrath,” and leads to a positive outcome.
The Lord is beside us; He is not far away, and He knows every response I make. He sees the motivation behind our actions when we speak with consideration and moderation. Our primary goal should be to please our Savior first. Our fellowship with others is strengthened when they see we love them. Moderation shows that we are not extreme and that we serve in anticipation of His coming.
We do not have to retaliate against those who may be unfair to us because the Lord is near. We do not need to demand our rights when we believe we are being mistreated. A "sweet reasonableness" is not a compromise but a virtue. There is value in prayer, so we need to pray about everything. We can talk to our heavenly Father at any time about anything. What we do with our burdens is up to us. Instead of fussing or fretting over things, we can pray about the issues that bother us. Then we turn everything over to God instead of worrying about them without profit.