Colossians 3:12-17
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns and songs from the spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3:12-17 (NIV)
Colossians 3:12-17 paints a beautiful picture of what a Christ-centered life looks like. Paul reminds us that we are “chosen, holy and loved”. Our identity comes first; before he ever tells us what to do, he tells us who we are. From that place, we are called to clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility and patience. Just like how we choose our clothes each day, we intentionally choose how we show up to the world.
A very powerful part of this passage is, “Bear with each other and forgive one another…forgive as the Lord forgave you.” Paul knows relationships will get messy. People will disappoint us, misunderstand us, or hurt us. But love binds them all together in perfect unity. Love is the thread that holds every other virtue in place. Is it easy? NO! Growing up in a house where the standard solution to a disagreement was to ignore the person and hold a major grudge has made the idea of forgiving someone very difficult. I would choose to be defensive instead of understanding. I thought the normal thing to do is sever the relationship instead of trying to work through the problem. But, through my adulthood, I have tried very hard to undo this way of behaving. It wasn’t easy but, as I worked on myself, I have noticed a calm feeling when dealing with a conflict. As Paul states, “forgiveness is not optional in the Christian life - it’s essential.”
This passage reminds us that living like Christ is not about perfection. It’s about daily, intentional choices. Each morning we get to decide, “what will we wear today - love or pride, peace or tension, grace or resentment?”
Questions for Reflection:
- Is there someone in your life you need to forgive right now?
- Do I truly live like someone who believes I am loved by God?
Prayer:
Dear Lord, thank you for loving me just the way I am. We were chosen by you and loved by you. So we need to live our life as God would want us to. Not perfect, but intentional. Forgive us as we try to forgive others. Help us to live our daily lives with compassion, kindness, humility and patience. In your name we pray, Amen.
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