“So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.”
Colossians 3:12–14 The Message Bible
This week we’ve been talking about compassion. When we hold Jesus as our standard of love and compassion it can be easy to wonder how we will ever measure up. How can we ever live a life full of compassion when the enemy of our souls distracts us with family, economic, or health concerns that keep us from considering our neighbor’s needs?
The answer can be found in a number of scriptures.
The apostle Paul is quite clear about the source of our love, mercy, and compassion when he writes,
“So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy.” Romans 9:16
What we can do daily, to operate in compassion, love, kindness, humility, and patience is to clothe ourselves in the attributes of God and the fruit of the Spirit. You cannot in your own strength, conjure up compassion for another person.
You can however lay your own agenda at the feet of Jesus and clothe yourself with His.
What is God’s agenda? That you love Him with all your heart, soul, and mind (Matthew 22:37) and that you love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:39). That my friends is an agenda of compassion. What does that look like in your daily life?
Consider 1 John 3:18
“Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.“
I go back to where I began this week when I introduced compassion. Compassion is an action word.
You love with the agenda and heart of Heaven when you show the love of God to your neighbor through acts of kindness and generosity.
Put on the wardrobe of this new life. Clothe yourself with compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline, contentment, forgiveness and quiet strength. Wearing a wardrobe full of the attributes of God and the fruit of the Spirit, you will reflect the Newborn King to all you meet this holiday season.