CLOTHE YOURSELF WITH CHRIST
REV. EKOW ESHUN.
SCRIPTURE: COLOSSIANS 3:12 (NKJV)
”Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”
Today’s verse encourages us to be compassionate, kind, humble, gentle and patient to all. Notice that, at least, two important issues are necessary to learn here. Firstly, these are the Christlike attitudes we are expected to cultivate regularly as believers. We often call these “the fruit of the Spirit.” When we cultivate being filled with the Spirit regularly, this is the attitude or fruit we will display.
Secondly, all these attitudes are relational i.e. they deal with our relationships with people. We can wear the nicest clothes and be the best in appearance, but if our personalities aren’t clothed in these godly, christlike qualities above, then we have fallen below God’s standards and expectations. Let me focus on kindness. God’s kindness towards us flows from his love for us. Let us remember that we are required to be doing similarly. We are also to reflect God’s kindness to others as much as we can as children of God.
We should not wait for a crisis or difficult situation to happen before we extend a helping hand of kindness. Like the good Samaritan, we must take time to be mindful of those having a difficult time in their lives in one way or another. We can offer a listening ear to them or give an encouraging word to strengthen them. Instead of worrying so much about our outward appearance (clothing) as some do, we should start paying more attention to the Spirit of Christ on the inside, be clothed with compassion and kindness especially and let it flow to bless others.
These are some of the Christlike qualities in you as a child of God. These qualities help you to be a blessing to others because by these, you are able to work on building and strengthening your relationships more.
Praise God for the counsel of God’s Word. He wants us to focus more on the spiritual clothing of our character rather than the physical clothing of our appearance. Both are necessary, but one is more important than the other.
PRAYER
I thank you, Father, for your hand upon my life. I thank you for your divine nature in me and continual strengthening I receive from the Spirit of God as I fellowship with you. I acknowledge the ability to show kindness and do good to others in the same way that you have and still do to me. I give you all the glory and praise for your help and faithfulness. You are worthy of my praise. Thank you, Father, in Jesus name. Amen.
FURTHER READING (NKJV)
GALATIANS 5:16-23
[16]I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
[17]For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.
[18]But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
[19]Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness,
[20]idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies,
[21]envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
[22]But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
[23]gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.