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12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Colossians 3:12-14 NIV
Powerful Thought
What a powerful thought! You are one of God’s chosen people. I am too. Those of us who love God and seek to obey and serve Him and have His Son as our Savior are blessed beyond measure.
Chosen People of God
The Father God of the Universe has chosen us. He knows the end from the beginning and knew those of us who would hear and obey Him.
We are adopted into the family of God.
Joyfully, we are His sons and daughters.
You, believer, are considered His holy and dearly loved child.
Jesus in You
As such, you clothe yourself with compassion, showing understanding love to others.
Thus, you emulate kindness in all of your dealings.
Yet, you are humble and gentle in your interactions with others.
Sharing the Gospel Message of Love
You show patience with believers and unbelievers alike, hoping to share the gospel message with all.
What’s more, there is also shown a bearing with each other. In other words, you put up with others despite their difficult behavior. You gently accept that others might not always show kindness to you.
Therefore, you forgive others readily for all the grievances done to you.
God Forgave Us
In addition, you do this realizing that the Lord forgave you so much that you now need to forgive others in gratitude to Him.
Desiring to be more like Jesus, you desire to forgive others as He has.
Therefore, all of these earlier-mentioned virtues are righteous and right and what those of us following Christ should do.
Put On Love
However, over all of these virtues, we are to “put on” love to bind all these kinds of goodness together.
It is allowing the love of God within us to flow through us and from us to the people of this world.
Lastly, love binds together the compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, and forgiveness that a believer and follower of Christ should share.
What a truly glorious life it would be if all lived these words and devotedly followed in the steps of Christ.