“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.” Colossians 3:12
Once upon a time, long ago, there was a little girl who loved to read her treasured Bible and memorize Scripture for her Sunday school class. Little did she know that the nuggets of wisdom, comfort, and guidance in those Scriptures would remain in her heart and mind for years, directing her toward a strong and loving relationship with Christ.
Today, that little girl is a woman who continues to treasure her Bible and is delighted to encourage Epistle readers to memorize Colossians 3:12. This Scripture is dear to her heart because she and her betrothed chose Colossians 3:12-18 to be read at their wedding to direct their two families toward a unifying love with Christian virtues.
Unification through the love of Christ is a main theme in Colossians. The Apostle Paul wrote to the Colossians in 60-62 AD during his first imprisonment in Rome. At this time, the Colossians were falling into serious error due to false doctrines with Judaist and Oriental philosophies. Paul was concerned that the once robust church was struggling as these heresies tended to obscure the divine glory of Christ. So, he emphasizes Christ as head of the church and that the union with Christ would shape all our beliefs.
Paul captures the listeners’ attention as he begins with “Therefore.”
From previous Pauline letters, we know that important messages follow a “therefore.” He writes tenderly, addressing the listeners “as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved.” The listeners now have opened their ears and feel blessed to have been chosen. They are ready for the instructions to roll out: “Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.”
Let’s not race past the instructions. We are to offer compassion and kindness to ALL, which means to the unlovable and the lovable. Furthermore, we are to practice gentleness and patience with God, ourselves, and others.
Finally, Paul instructs us to be humble. Most of us are raised to be proud of ourselves, who we are, and what we have accomplished; however, the Christ-centered soul remains meek, giving God the credit and the glory.
Do you want to memorize this Scripture and carve it into your heart? Billy Graham reminds us in his devotion, Unto the Hills: “As Christians, we have the Spirit of God in us. But ours is the responsibility to keep sin out of our lives so that the Spirit can produce His fruit in us.” I pray that you and I carve this Bible verse into our hearts each day as we choose to clothe ourselves with Christ’s garments of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
by Judy Wilkerson
