Be Sober-Minded

1 Peter 4:7-11 (ESV)
The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. [8] Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. [9] Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. [10] As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: [11] whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. Don’t be hysterical the end of all things is at hand. This is good advice. We know the end is here. We know that the world is coming to a close. So often we get so worked up though. Why? Why do we get worked up? I don’t mean to say that we shouldn’t care at all. But life goes on, and every day we have is another day of grace, another day that God has graciously kept this cesspool of sin turning so that one more might be saved, possibly three thousand, maybe more. The end is at hand. So we want to keep ourselves self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of our prayers. We don’t want to pray in an hysterical manner. But pray. Pray for the people in your lives. In praying for them, love them.
Love covers a multitude of sin. Christ’s love has covered all with his blood and made atonement. Sin is sin, we all have it. We are sinners who live among sinners. But we are forgiven sinners, therefore we can love the sinners we know, as Jesus has loved us and forgiven our sins.