COLOSSIANS 3:12-14
CLOTHED IN CHRISTLIKENESS
Colossians 3:12-14 (BSB) Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, clotheG1746 yourselves with hearts of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with one another and forgive any complaint you may have against someone else. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which is the bond of perfect unity.
G1746 ĕnduō – (in the sense of sinking into a garment); to invest with clothing (lit. or fig.): – array, clothe (with), endue, have (put) on.
Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
Lord, cover me with compassion,
enrobe me with your kindness.
As people look upon my life,
I pray Your beauty they will see.
Allow me to walk humbly
exhibiting gentleness and patience.
Please clothe me in Christ’s virtues
to be all that I should be.
Today, I saw some women from India wearing gorgeous, silken saris. They were completely wrapped in the luxurious cloth, literally clothed in beauty. The verse above tells us we should be clothed in the virtues of Jesus Christ. Just as we consciously put on the armor of the Lord (see Ephesians 6) each morning, we should also don compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. This cannot be done in our own strength. We must walk closely with the Lord and allow him to robe us in His righteousness.
We are to forgive as the Lord forgave us. Quite a statement. He forgave us completely on the cross even though we were not deserving and had not yet asked forgiveness. He did not wait for us to earn his forgiveness in any way, shape, or form. Nor should we demand a changed life of our brothers and sisters before we extend forgiveness.
Paul uses the same verb translated “clothe” in verse 12 for “put on” in verse 14. Remember the saris the women were wearing? Let me share the definition of sari with you:
sari – Asian woman’s garment – a traditional garment worn by women in or from the Indian subcontinent, consisting of a long rectangle of fabric reaching the feet, wrapped and pleated around the waist over an underskirt and choli, and draped over the shoulder.
Encarta Dictionary
Love is to be our sari, worn over all the other virtues of Christ. The love of Christ emanating from us will catch the eye of many who need to know him as those saris caught my eye in Sam’s Club today. Allow Jesus’ love to flow from you like the beautifully flowing silk of a sari, and he will draw people into his family through you.
Father, help us to be clothed in the righteousness of Christ each day. Help us to be compassionate, kind, humble, gentle and patient with our co-workers, family, friends, and especially those who need to see You in us. Help us to forgive as Jesus forgave us and help us to exude the beauty of your love.