“Then those who feared the Lord spoke with one another. The Lord paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before Him of those who feared the Lord and esteemed His name. ‘They shall be Mine, says the Lord of hosts, in the day when I make up my treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him. Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him’” (Malachi 3:16-18).

In the verses that precede the passage quoted above, God speaks a word of rebuke to His people. Those who took His rebuke to heart joined together to discuss what it was they had heard. This speaking with one another is not a speaking about the weather, or sports, or social events, this speaking is an attempt to clarify together what they have heard and to come up with a plan of action in response.

What’s amazing about this is that when they did that the Lord Himself paid attention to their actions and their words. So much so, that a book of remembrance of the event was written before Him. He then goes on to say that these people will one day be part of His treasured possession, the Bride of Christ.

Once again, we see the value of the One Another calling. Our life in Christ was meant to be lived together with brothers and sisters of like precious faith. It is within the One Another calling that we find hope and strength and consolation and comfort and correction and accountability, while walking together as one in Christ. It is within this construct that Christians are most effectively shaped and molded into the very image of Christ, individually and collectively.