“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
Every night before an early morning I try to think about what I will wear the next day. I am not a morning person, so adding an extra few minutes to my nightly routine helps beat the early morning haze. Our clothes, whether we lay them out in advance or throw something on during the morning scramble, are something we do not forget. Not to mention, it would be very noticeable if we did. How often though, do we think about these virtues as being part of our daily outfit? I admit I often consider my accessories more than I consider that which Paul has listed here: compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. These “articles of clothing” matter far more than anything else we put on for the day.
Paul is speaking directly to Christians when he says “chosen people,” those dearly loved and declared holy. Holiness means we have been consecrated for a special purpose, set apart in order that we would look different in this world. In this passage from Colossians chapter 3, Paul is challenging Christians to look different by the way we treat people. Our clothes say a lot about ourselves. We can dress up or dress down depending on the context. We often use our clothes to impress others or to express opinions, but Paul encourages us to consider these virtues as well. Wear gentleness. Express yourself through compassion and patience. And above all else, Paul says, wear love, for love brings it all together. Only then are we fully dressed, prepared as Christ would have us prepare, to face the day!
