Edify
Edify - (edification) verb - to provide moral or intellectual instruction, to improve someone. To uplift, enlighten, or inform.
To uplift, enlighten, build up, or encourage; toward Love and Faith.
So let us then definitely aim for and eagerly pursue what makes for harmony and for mutual upbuilding (edification and development) of one another.
Romans 14:19 AMPC
Our “aim”, our daily intention, should be to “eagerly pursue” peace. When people around us experience worry, fear, and anxiety, we have the opportunity to show, and speak, love and truth; which can provide peace. We should be pursuing peace in relationships and in every situation we are in. We should look for ways to offer peace to others, especially when we notice a lack of peace.
Our intentions should also be to look for ways to build others up. Building others up, edifying others with our words, thoughtful actions, and by listening. Let's edify others. Encourage them, support them, be there for them: for their benefit.
Let each one of us make it a practice to please (make happy) his neighbor for his good and for his true welfare, to edify him [to strengthen him and build him up spiritually].
Romans 15:2 AMPC
Let's make it a “practice”. Practice has to do with repetition. We practice something to develop the skill of doing that thing. Practice can lead to becoming an expert. Practice leads to learned behavior, which we call habits.
Practice doing good things for others. Things that please others, and that are good for them. Things that are thoughtful and selfless. Things done from love, for the benefit of others, and not only for our benefit. Let's practice these selfless acts of love and edification so that they become habits. Let’s become experts at the practice of loving and building others up.
...knowledge causes people to be puffed up (to bear themselves loftily and be proud), but love (affection and goodwill and benevolence) edifies and builds up and encourages one to grow [to his full stature].
1 Corinthians 8:1 AMPC
If we merely try to edify, or instruct others, based on our knowledge or current religious beliefs, then we may be missing the mark. Our aim should be to edify out of love. The same love that God has shown us. It was not religious knowledge that saved us, it was God’s love; which was expressed in action, and learned in our spirits. Knowledge can be good, but it is not knowledge or beliefs that edify. It is love, through action, that edifies.
And His gifts were [varied; He Himself appointed and gave men to us] some to be apostles (special messengers), some prophets (inspired preachers and expounders), some evangelists (preachers of the Gospel, traveling missionaries), some pastors (shepherds of His flock) and teachers. His intention was the perfecting and the full equipping of the saints (His consecrated people), [that they should do] the work of ministering toward building up Christ's body (the church),
Ephesians 4:11-12 AMPC
God himself, through daily, consistent, and relational prayer, (praying without ceasing), edifies us. He fills up our internal Love bank with love, as we interact with Him. God has also given us specially chosen people to help edify us, to build us up. The purpose of having specially chosen people to build up the believers is so that as the believers are encouraged they can then go edify, encourage, and show love to the world. To the ones who don’t yet know true love. The ones who have not yet seen and experienced the love, care, protection, and provision, of The Loving Father.
Therefore encourage (admonish, exhort) one another and edify (strengthen and build up) one another, just as you are doing.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 AMPC
In this quoted text we read a third admonishment; a recommendation, or advice. We are encouraged to encourage one another. Firstly, we cannot encourage others if we are not ourselves encouraged. We cannot love, if we ourselves don’t confidently know that we are loved. This encouragement, this internal knowing that we are loved, comes from our daily, and consistent pursuit of God.
God promises that if we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us, (James 4:8). As we make this a practice, a discipline in our lives, then we will experience, more consistently, internal encouragement and a knowing that we are loved.
From this place, of having our Love bank filled with His love and encouragement, then we will have “the funds” from which we can love and edify others. Life, true life, is about others. When the life of God, which is love, fills us then we will be able to truly love and edify others. After all, this admonishment is equal to the greatest commandment. From the words of Jesus,
And He replied to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind (intellect). [Deut. 6:5.] This is the great (most important, principal) and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as [you do] yourself. [Lev. 19:18.] These two commandments sum up and upon them depend all the Law and the Prophets.
Matthew 22:37-40 AMPC
Get edified by Him. Be built up and encouraged in the truth of God’s love, care, protection, and provision for you. Then go and edify others, in love.
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