“…clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility,
gentleness, and patience…
and over all these virtues put on love,
which binds them all together in perfect unity.”
Colossians 3:12-14
Our identity in Christ means we should look, sound, think, and behave differently. It’s all about what we choose to wear — and that has nothing to do with designer labels or fabric blends.
Paul instructs the Colossians — and by extension, us — to put on:
- Compassion
- Kindness
- Humility
- Gentleness
- Patience
Take a moment to look over and pray over that list. Does it describe you? Does it describe you in your role as wife … mother … grandmother … friend … daughter … neighbor? A few probing questions for self-assessment:
- Am I compassionate when those around me are suffering through hard things?
- Does kindness permeate my relationships with my neighbors?
- Am I humble as I work through challenges in my marriage?
- Do I exhibit patience and understanding in my dealings with others at work, church, or organizations where I give my time?
- Am I a patient, loving grandparent who invests in the lives of my grandchildren?
I love the imagery of clothing ourselves with these traits. I may not naturally be or feel compassionate, kind, humble, gentle, or patient, but I can choose to put on those traits. As women of God, there are areas we know what is right and must choose to do (or put on) what is right and, hopefully, it will eventually feel right. We make conscious, deliberate choices, prompted by Scripture and the leading of the Holy Spirit.
After we are all dressed with these beautiful traits — and did you notice that three of the five are listed as Fruits of the Spirit? (see Galatians 5:22-23) — we add the final accessory. It’s the perfect one because it ties the whole outfit together beautifully: Love.
Love is listed first in the Fruit of the Spirit cluster. Love is why Jesus left heaven, took on our death sentence, and opened the door for our salvation. Love makes it possible to keep wearing compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. If love leads out, the rest will naturally follow.
The challenging, overarching self-assessment question is: Do I really love my husband, my children, my grandchildren, my coworkers, my neighbors? And, if I do, does what I’m wearing reflect that?
Sister Friend, is it time for some wardrobe adjustment? What are you wearing?
II Corinthians has been viewed as perhaps the most personal of all Paul’s letters — and that is never more apparent than in the last few chapters of the book, where we find a distinct shift in tone beginning with Chapter 10. In this week’s devotional video, Laura addresses this change and the possible reasons for it. We invite you to watch and listen to Laura’s thoughts on this passage, where Paul speaks in defense of his ministry (and makes it clear that he boasts only in the Lord) in response to trouble-makers undermining his authority.
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