12Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. (Colossians 3:12-14)
Thoughts: We are God's own people when we believe. We are sanctified- not because we no longer make mistakes or sin- but because the Holy Spirit lives in us. We are to take off the filth of the world, and put on the beauty of Christ- described as compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Such virtues are originally and distinctively Christian. The ancient world knew a lot about bragging, but the meek and kind were not seen as the ones who would inherit the earth. Another great Christian virtue is forgiveness. We believe we are forgiven, so we are called to forgive others as we have been forgiven. But love is the tie that binds all these virtues together. Love makes compassion better; kindness more kind; motivates humility; puts others ahead so that gentleness and patience are important. Love encourages us to forgive and give a second chance. Love unites these virtues, but also unites us to God and to each other. God is love and those who abide in love abide in God and God in them. (1 John 4:10). So we know God cares about us- what we do, what we believe, how we treat others, how we forgive. God does not leave us be- or ignore us. He cares for us. In response to His love, we are called to love.
Prayer: Lord of love, help me to love you and others as you love me.
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