Having Bible knowledge and understanding is great, however if the scriptures are not living and active in our lives, it is all in vain (Hebrews 4:12-13). The life application selections contain thoughts provoking, real life challenges that will prayerfully transform us to be more like Jesus in our spiritual journey. James 1:23-27 challenges us to not just merely listen or read the scriptures, it says “But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.” Do not miss your blessings my friends!
Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering.
What does it mean to have patience as a Christian? The KJV used the word longsuffering. Honestly, I can relate to both words because God has revealed to me this is one of the hardest virtues in my Christian journey. I did not consider myself impatient, at least most of the time. God has shown me in the past few months how I am often lacking patience with myself, God’s timing, my family, friends and people in general. As I spent several weeks pondering on the different virtues that I am called to be clothed with, I am learning this is going to be my long-life battle until I see Jesus to rescue me from my sinful nature.
Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
What does gentleness imply in our lives as Christians? Gentleness is used interchangeably with the word “meekness.” As I study the life of Jesus through scriptures, I am continually learning what gentleness is not. I recall as a new Christian/disciple of Jesus Christ in my passion and joy knowing the Lord, I missed the entire concept of gentleness according to Jesus. I was quick to condemn, judge, reject, cancel/dismiss people who did not have the same passion for the gospel as I did. Until one day God spoke to me through his Holy words and different spiritual speakers. Most of all, through Jesus Christ and Apostle Paul’s example in the Bible. In Romans 5:8, Paul reminded me that Christ died for us while we were lost in darkness.
Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
Matthew 5:5, “blessed are the meek for they will inherit the earth” (NIV). Proverbs 18:12, “Before destruction the heart of man is haughty; And before honor goeth humility” (ASV). What is humility? Jesus taught us what humility looks like in the eyes of God. Philippians 2:6-8 reminded us “Though he was in the form of God, he did not regard equality with God something to be possessed by force. On the contrary, he emptied himself, in that he took the form of a slave by becoming like human beings are. And when he appeared as a human being, he humbled himself still more by becoming obedient even to death —death on a stake as a criminal! (CJB)”. If you have read previous devotionals I have written, you will hear me often say that I love how Jesus never asks us to do anything that he himself has not modeled for us as we are striving to walk in his legacy as our savior and Lord.
Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
How do you clothe yourself with kindness in a world where kindness is often taken for granted or sometimes seen as weakness? Growing up I recall a few people that God had allowed to show kindness to me even though I had no blood relation to them. There is one woman in particular whom God used to teach me what it is like to be loved by a mother figure as a young child when I was desperately seeking maternal love. To my amazement, she was not doing it to gain any recognition or reward but simply had a deep genuine ‘moral excellence’ toward my wellbeing. In Hebrew-Greek the word Kindness is chrestotes which derives from the word Chrestos. They described the word as “usefulness, moral excellence (in character or demeanor)-Gentleness, goodness, kindness (Key-Word Study Bible). Webster dictionary described kindness as “the quality or state of being kind.”
Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
What does it look like as a follower of Jesus Christ to clothe myself with compassion? Jesus during his ministry demonstrated the definition of compassion for us to follow as he interacted with people. Jesus learned from God, his father, how essential compassion was to his ministry (Isaiah 49:15, Exodus 33:19, etc.). Throughout the Gospel, Jesus showed the difference between empathy, feeling compassionate and showing compassion which are similar but different. According to the Webster dictionary, empathy refers to an active sharing in someone’s emotional experience, but compassion takes empathy a step further by having the desire to alleviate the person's distress. The hardest part for me is having the desire to alleviate the person's distress and feeling helpless because having a desire doesn't mean you are able to alleviate the person's struggle. In Matthew 19:16-22, Jesus’ empathy toward the young man was genuine but his desire to set him free was not successful because the young man’s wealth was his idol and security. Knowing that Jesus came to seek and save the lost, he must have felt heartache when the young man went away sad. Jesus’s compassion was evident, but he was not able to execute his desire to relieve the spiritual suffering of the young man. The young man had to have an open heart and mind to receive the compassion offered by Jesus. In my own walk with Jesus, I am learning my desire to help people through my empathy and compassion for them may not be possible. In my feeling of helplessness, I often find myself frustrated asking God the why questions and wishing he would allow me to do more. God, through Jesus Christ, reminds me that nothing happens outside of the will of God. He, Jehovah, orders every step (Ephesians 1:11). Maturity in Jesus Christ can only come through believing that God’s Words are spirit and life (John 6:63). Therefore, even the worst scenarios are in his hand. “The Lord works out everything to its proper end— even the wicked for a day of disaster (Proverbs 16:4).” Studying the word compassion has helped me realize how important it is to not merely read the scripture but “…pay attention to it, as a light shining in a dark place until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your heart” (2 Peter 1:19).
Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
If you have been receiving the ministry’s weekly reflection, you will notice a shift for the months of June and July. As guided by God’s Holy Spirit, we will be focusing on what it means to be clothed with Jesus by putting into practice the attributes listed in Colossians 3:12 as we are striving or seeking to be like Jesus in our Christian/Discipleship journey. My prayer the past few years has been about asking God to clothe me with Jesus so that I can love like he did as his daughter. You notice I did not say trying! According to Webster dictionary, trying is defined as "to make an attempt at" or "to put to test or trial." The word striving in contrast is defined as "to devote serious effort or energy." Although we know as long as we are on this earth, we will not reach our full perfection (2 Corinthians 5:1-5), nonetheless Jesus calls us to strive to live a life that mirrors the perfection of our heavenly Father. "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect" (Mathew 5:48). In 1Peter 1:16, the apostle is reminding us that it is a command to pursue/strive for holiness like God our Father. "Be holy as I am." In our Christian journey, trying is not an option but striving to win the eternal crown is an expectation to become victorious at the end of this earth. Revelation 21:7-8, "Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children."
