What "Walking Worthy" means. To me, at least.

Let me preface this post with this; I am not a perfect example of walking worthy.  I wouldn't call myself any kind of example, really.  I just started thinking this way recently.  "Walking Worthy" is something I was introduced to maybe 8 months ago by a message I heard in church.  I'll do my best to explain it.  In Ephesians 4:1-6, Paul said: 

I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

It cut me to the heart, and I knew in that moment that Ephesians 4:1-6 would always be one of my life verses. (Sidenote: I've always wanted to say "This is [one of] my life verse[s]." but until recently, I didn't feel like I really had any.  I guess it took fully surrendering to God and allowing the Holy Spirit to speak to me through His Word to finally get a couple.)  My basic understanding from the message I heard is that we were each called.  But we'll never fulfill our calling unless we walk worthy of it.  And in order to walk worthy of our calling, we must first receive knowledge from God as to what that calling is, what His will for our life is.  Paul says in Colossians 1:9-12:

For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.

Unless you know what you're called to or called to be, it's virtually impossible for you to walk worthy of that calling.  But once you've received that knowledge from God... Knowledge of His will for your life, you will be able to walk worthy of that calling.  The calling is irrevocable and the gifts are already in us.  God has a plan and purpose for each of us individually.  I'm sure you're all familiar with Jeremiah 29:11:

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

But walking worthy is not just for someone who is still seeking to fulfill his calling.  Walking worthy is also for someone who has already begun to do the work God has planned for him.  Paul walked worthy, and people received the message differently.  How effective you are in your calling depends on your walk.  Paul didn't get complacent in his faith or with his station.  He walked worthy of his calling and we have evidence of that in his letters.  1 Thessalonians 2:10-13 says:

You are witnesses, and God also, how devoutly and justly and blamelessly we behaved ourselves among you who believe; as you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father does his own children, that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory. For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.

Christianity has become just a bunch of "good" people.  This makes it hard for the world to tell us apart from any other religion.  We are supposed to be like the apostles were in Acts.  We should be turning the world upside down.  Jesus Himself told us how we were to be once he left, in John 14:12-14:

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.

We're not just supposed to be like Jesus, we're supposed to do greater works than He did.  Think back over all of the miracles He did.  All of the healings, feeding the multitude, raising Lazarus from the dead.  We're supposed to be known for the miracles which follow us.  The people of this world are literally dying for us to show them that there's something else.  They can be happy and saved and live abundant lives.  They can be fulfilled and they can fulfill a calling that God Himself set out for them.

I leave you with this: Are you walking worthy of the calling with which you were called?  Do you know God's will for your life?  Are you turning the world around you upside down?  Are you making an impact?

Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. - 2 Timothy 1:6