Today’s readings: Colossians 3-4, Psalm 133
Colossians 3:12-17; 4:5
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
4:5 Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. 6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.
After such a rousing expression of praise and beautifully clear teaching about who Jesus is, Paul turns our attention toward how we are to live as his followers. In other words, Jesus isn’t just some idol, some mega-celebrity, or an incredibly wealthy and wise person. He is God in the flesh. And faith in him carries some significant implications.
I’m reminded of the prophets of the Old Testament. Isaiah confronted people who honored God with their worship but neglected justice and the needs of the oppressed (Isaiah 1:11–17). Amos spoke against solemn assemblies and songs of praise offered by people who failed to practice justice and righteousness (Amos 5:21–24). And Micah reminded God’s people that what the Lord requires is to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with their God (Micah 6:6–8).
Their message was clear: What we confess about God must be reflected in how we live toward others.
Christology is a vitally important theological foundation. If Jesus isn’t God in the flesh, we have no reason to worship him or place our eternal hope in him. If he isn’t the One who died and rose again, he has accomplished nothing toward reconciliation between us and God.
But if he is all that Paul has said he is, that truth reaches far beyond dusty theological concepts into the very way we live.
We Christians – followers of Christ, bearing his name – are called to reflect his character and nature. So Paul lays out some of those characteristics for the Colossians and for us. We are to put on compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other.
And why? Because this is how Christ has treated us. As Paul says, “As the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive” (Colossians 3:13).
When Christ’s Word dwells richly in us, it shapes our thoughts, words, and actions. We are led to do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. And as Paul reminds us a little later, we are to conduct ourselves wisely toward outsiders, speaking with grace so that we know how to answer each person.
We want to live in such a manner that those outside the faith will be willing to listen when we speak. We want to share God’s truth with kindness and gentleness, boldness and courage.
Sadly, we will fail at this. We all do. That’s what makes the grace, love, and forgiveness of Christ so precious. And the forgiveness we receive from him enables us to forgive one another when we are let down or wronged.
And perhaps that’s what I find so remarkable about all this. Jesus knows us. He knows how easily our patience runs out, how quickly kindness can give way to irritation, and how difficult it can be to forgive someone who has hurt us. Yet he doesn’t turn away from us. He forgives us and continues to call us his own.
So when Paul tells us to put on compassion, kindness, humility, patience, and love, he’s not handing us a checklist by which we can prove ourselves worthy of Jesus. He’s reminding us what life looks like when we belong to him.
Paul calls us “God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved.” That’s where it starts. Before we ever manage to show compassion or patience or kindness to someone else, that’s how God already sees us in Christ.
And perhaps remembering that will help us treat one another with kindness and grace – and give those who do not yet know Jesus a reason to listen when we speak of him.
Follow the Word is a daily Bible reading and devotional ministry of St. John Lutheran Church, Cypress, Texas.
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