Colossians 3:12-13

"Therefore (because of Christ we are), as the elect of God (chosen, called), holy (perfectly, honorably, spiritually pure) and dearly (precious, cherished, a high price, prized, scarce, worthy, honorable) loved (tender, passionate affection, warm personal attachment, taking great pleasure in ), clothe yourself (this is not passive - it suggests that I am actively engaged and choosing to dress myself in these things!) with a heart (the center of the personality, or emotion) of mercy (compassion, or kindly forbearance shown toward an offender, and enemy, or other person in one's power, to pardon someone, an act of kindness, - I like this one - evidence of divine favor) kindness, humility (modest opinion of one's rank, lowly, meekness, submissiveness), gentleness (amiable, mild, gradual, to millify, sooth, calm, pacify) and patience (bearing annoyance, misfortune or pain without complaint or irritation; quiet, steady perserverance), bearing with one another (supporting someone as if they depended on you - crutches come to mind) and forgiving one another (granting a pardon, cancel an indebtedness), if someone happens to have a complaint against anyone else (whether we agree with that complaint or not).  Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also forgive others."

Wow!  Here it is again with no comments:
"Therefore as the elect of God, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourself with a heart of mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if someone happens to have a complaint against anyone else. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also forgive others."

The first thing that struck me is I AM HOLY AND DEARLY LOVED! To use some of the synonymns, I am perfectly prized and someone takes great pleasure in me.  What an awesome truth!  Even when i feel most unloveable, God loves me completely. 

The second thing that struck me was the idea that we daily choose to clothe ourselves in these things.  It is not something the Holy Spirit just grants us.  It is not like I can pray, Lord, please make me patient, and boom, I am patient.  No, I think the Lord provides opportunities to learn patience or exhibit patience.  He may also through the Holy Spirit give us a heightened ability during certain situations to display character traits we may not normally be able to acurately express, but the more common form of transformation involves our action too.  We need to step forward, courageously and dress ourselves in these things in the morning, right along with our underwear. 

The third thing that struck me is the tone of our interaction that is described by this scripture.  It is not a "go in with gusto" tone.  It is a focus on others needs and emotions.  It is compassion flowing out of true love, not duty.  It is not someone being trampled on or passively interacting with the world, but someone courageously supporting someone.  The supporters' heart wants to be unnoticed, unseen, to everyone other than who they are trying to encourage.  But thier actions shout loudly because they are so unusual in the world, so foreign to the me mentality, that it can't help but draw the other person in.  It is a picture of God at work.

Lord, today help me to remember that I am holy and dearly loved by you.  Since I embrace and believe this truth, that my true value lies in that statement, I no longer have to pacify my insecurities by looking for reassurance from others.  I can stop focusing on myself and my needs, and focus on those of others.  I can demonstrate mercy, humility, gentleness, and patience - those same taits you demonstrate to me.  Lord, help me to allow you be my teacher.  As the pupil, help me study what this looks like by reading your word, and seeing how you have demonstrated it to other Christians in the past.  As the student, help me to put into practice what I learn.

May the Holy SPirit encourage you today and everyday as we go on to fight the battle being waged around us.  Remember we are not of this world.  The weapons we fight with are not of this world.  They have the Divine power to demolish strongholds.  I feel strong knowing that God will supply my weapons, and train me how to use them.  I only need to be willing.  ~Karen

Loving your Neighbor

We have all heard the verse where Christ says we should love our neighbor as ourselves. This weekend, that really struck me. I started to think, who would qualify as my neighbor? The people next door? Yes. The people living in our town? Yes. The people living in our state? Yes. How about people in the U.S.? Yes. And all over the world? Yes. Ok, so some tougher questions - what about the person at work that gets on your nerves? Yes. And how about that family member that is just so hard to love? Yes!

So we have defined who my neighbor is - everyone but me! But what exactly does loving them like myself mean? When I have a disagreement with someone I care about, am I loving them as myself? What about if we really disagree on major issues? Does it mean I have to let their side "win" so to speak? No, I don't think that would be true. Does it mean that no matter how many times I am hurt by someone, that I should continue to strive to build that relationship? Probably. But how do you do this, knowing that they will probably hurt you down the road again by saying something behind your back, manipulating those around you, or turning their back on you? I don't really have the answers. But now that I think of it, I haven't been a very good "neighbor" myself. I am probably not that easy to love when I think I am right (which now that I think about it, is most of the time). I am probably not easy to show compassion towards when I am focused on the challenges of my life, and don't take time to listen to others. In fact, others may put me on their list of difficult people to love. OUCH!

If I faced the judgment that the Bible talks about at the end of the age, when God separates the wheat from the chaff, how much of my life would "burn" with the chaff? I am starting to think it will be more than I think. My compassion for others should be obvious. It should be overflowing. That means it spills into others lives.

I wouldn't use those descriptions to talk about my life right now. I think this is an area God must be telling me I need to work on. No, I struggle to love some people, and get frustrated when they don't respond the way I want them to. I avoid others that I find difficult to love - people whose lives are so different from my own, that it makes me uncomfortable just trying to come up with something to say. So if the very nature of God calls us to love one another, then whose nature is it that calls us to be an adversary? I hesitate to answer Satan, but let's call him who he really is. And that would be someone I want nothing to do with. So Lord, give me eyes to see others they way that you see them. To find value in everyone because they are your creation, and to give each person I encounter a glimpse of your glorified light through me.

What a daunting task, accomplished only by resting in God's grace, which is exactly what I struggle with most of the time. Rest. Resting in God's grace. It sounds so easy, so why do I struggle with this? Why do I continue to try to work towards "achieving" those virtues the Bible speaks of, instead of resting in Christ and letting the Holy Spirit do the work? Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, humility, - the fruit of the Spirit is within me, not a target to be reached! It can only be revealed when the fruit of humanity is laid aside - strife, ambition, pain, animosity, mistrust, slander, selfishness, etc. Lord, as I learn to lay these down, fill these empty spaces with the fruit of your everlasting spirit. Help them to abound in me so that they overflow into others lives. Help me to love my neighbor as myself. Teach me to know what this means, and to be the person you have called me and other believers to be.

"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” ~ John 13:34

“By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." ~ John 13:35

“Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.” ~ Romans 12:10

“Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law.” ~ Romans 13:8

“You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.” ~ Galatians 5:13

“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.” ~ Ephesians 4:2

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” ~ Hebrews 10:24

“Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart.” ~ 1 Peter 1:22

"Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and be humble" ~ 1 Peter 3:8