-March 9, 2024-
Good morning beloved, happy Saturday,
“Therefore as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering.”
(Colossians 3:12).
Every day we are faced with a decision on what to wear. We have closets full of clothes to choose from. From dress clothes to casual clothes, and everything in between. If you’re like me, I like everything to match.
There is an apt expression that says, “Dress for success.” But even more important that our outward clothing ate our garments of salvation. Here in our text, Paul encourages the Colossians to put on five things every day before going out into the world: tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering. These make the best clothing for us as we go off to school, work, or wherever we go. They never wear out or go out of style.
1. Tender mercies – Tender mercy is treating others like we would like to be treated. When you combine tender and mercy you have something special. There are twelve references to tender mercies in the Scriptures and all but two speak of God’s tender mercies to us. We need to show the same compassion to others that God has shown to us.
2. Kindness – Kindness is sorely lacking in the world today. Showing kindness is being courteous respectful, accepting, and loving to others in a practical way. Kindness is one of the nine fruit of the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 4:32 says, “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.”
3. Humility – Being humble before God and others is how Jesus lived each day. James wrote in James 4:10, “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.” Servants of Christ should take the least, the last, and the lowest place and serve others.
4. Meekness – As I have shared before, meekness is not weakness. It takes great strength of character to take insults, unfair criticism, harsh treatment, unkind words. Moses was called the meekest man on the earth. He was also a very strong leader. Jesus said, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5).
5. Longsuffering – Longsuffering is patience on steroids. It means to endure, persevere, to have ‘stick-to-it-ness.’ Job is the greatest example of patience in the Bible. His end was greater than his beginning. God rewarded him for his great patience to the end.
May the Lord help to put on all five of these qualities daily. Each of these qualities are inner qualities that manifest themselves in outward behavior. When we put them on we are ready to face the day and glorify the Lord.
Have a blessed day in your heavenly clothes. Stay safe and healthy.
Our garb reflects our Savior,
Dean
Dean Allen's Daily Devotional 