Read the transcript from today's video devotional.
This is one of those verses that, at first, causes you to shy away a little bit, because there's probably at least one, but most likely more than one of these words that you're probably not exhibiting on a regular basis, if you're going to be honest.
What's Truly in Our Hearts
Now, the thing about it is, nobody will really know that except for you, because these things that we're being instructed to embody as followers of the way of Jesus come from our hearts, and only we know what is truly held or contained in our hearts. There are ways that we can put on a little bit of an image of what's happening in our hearts to try to make it seem like what's in us is really coming out of us. But the problem with that way of living is it's not sustainable.
What we're being instructed here by the writing of Paul, is that we need to be the type of people—because we're connected to Christ—that from our hearts exude this list of words in the way that we live alongside other people every day, sustainably, without even trying.
Clothe Yourselves
How do I know this is true? Well, what does he say about it from the beginning? You should clothe yourselves with these things. Now, clothing yourself is something that you put on in the morning. But when you are walking through your day, when you're eating lunch, when you're doing your work, you're driving your car, you don't have to continue to clothe yourself. You put them on in the morning and then you just live. When you just live, you already have your clothes on. You don't even have to think about it.
Well, that's exactly what Paul is saying should be true about these attributes of our character that come when we put on Christ, that we should go through life without even having to think about trying to do or be these things.
Contributing to Community
This list of words by itself is inherently challenging, but I just want to run through them really quickly because if I'm honest, I think about what life looks like alongside my friends and my neighbors and my community and my church or at work. This isn't really a time or a day, an age where it would easily be defined by communion and connection and camaraderie. Feels like the day we live in is easily spoken of in terms of being divisive or full of conflict.
I look at these words and I'm thinking, man, what if I were able to put on Christ and embody these words without thinking throughout the day? What would my presence in life bring to community and connection in the people that surround me? How could I contribute to a life that wouldn't be filled with division, but maybe a life that is filled with love and one that is a mark of the way of Jesus and brings Him glory?
Tenderhearted mercy—when was the last time that this was something that just exuded from your life? Kindness. Humility. Gentleness. Patience. These aren't things that in our humanness come to our natural sensibilities, but in Christ we put on Christ, and we live from the reality that we are clothed with these attributes, if we trust our hearts, our minds, and our lives to Him.
