walking in the {Spirit}
Last Thursday's Colossians class had to be my favorite. We covered Colossians 3 but what really hit me like a load of bricks was going over the "new man" section in verses 12-14.
"Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony" (ESV).
Compassion is caring for people even when it’s inconvenient for you. It’s not contingent on convenience. Mark 6:30-44 shows how Jesus is the perfect example of this. After healing many people and do loads of things, He told His disciples to go find a place to rest in solitude. But so many people followed Jesus around that when they saw Him leave they ran ahead so that we got across the sea they were all there waiting for Him. But He didn't get frustrated or outraged that they were intruding on His private, resting time - He "had compassion on them...and began to teach them many things." Jesus, of all people, had the perfect excuse as to why He would need some "alone time" to go rest (and yes, it is needed in our own lives), but yet when He was given the opportunity to minister to those who were "like sheep without a shepherd", He laid aside His own desires. I'm sure it wasn't convient for Him, but His compassion was so great for people that it didn't matter.
Kindness could be described as viewing your neighbors’ things like you view your own. It is gentleness and loving care for someone other than yourself - not only for people that we like, but for every person. In Psalm 34:8, it says "Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good."That word for "good" can be translated as kindness. God's kindness is so great towards all people - so we should be the same.
Humility - this doesn’t come naturally....at all. Unless you're some sort of supernatural, amazing person. Ha. If you strive and try to be humble, then you end up in pride in your humility (confusing, but true). Pride is something so deceptive. Something that can easily take a hold of you without you realizing that it is. Real humility is only possible is when you see God in reality of who He is in comparison to you who you really. Yup, once you see just how awesome, holy, and powerful God is then you realize just how stupid and sinful you are. And that alone just brings me to my knees.
Meekness is the outworking of humility in your actions to other people. It's one thing to be humble, but to put it out there for others - that's another. That's seriously putting yourself so low (which is so against the fleshly nature) right there in front of other people.
Patience is the first description of love in 1 Corinthians 13. What a key characteristic of God that we should be so incredibly thankful for. Without His patience, I know I would be thrown off from God. I've tested His patience so many times that if He wasn't patient I would be long forgotten. Whenever I seriously am just about to punch someone in the face (mentally...don't worry I wouldn't actually punch someone....maybe. haha), I remember what patience Christ must have with me. So who am I to get all impatient and annoyed?
Forgiving others - a tough one. The only motivation and power in forgiveness is rooted in God’s forgiveness to you. It’s essential to first understand the Lord’s forgiveness. Matthew 18:21-35 talks about the parable of the unforgiving servant who was about to be thrown into prison pretty much for the rest of his life for an insurmountable debt he owed the king. But in his pleading, the king had pity on him and forgave him the entire debt. But that servant turned right around and went to his friend who only owed him like 20 bucks (don't quote me on that amount) and when his friend couldn't pay it, he threw him in jail! What a picture of Christ, the King, and how I tend to treat people. Forgiveness, especially over really tough things, will never be easy. But when you fully realize the extent that Christ has forgiven of you, it’s easier to extend forgiveness to those who have wronged you
Love is the glue that holds (binds) all of these together. It's willingly and selflessly preferring the benefit of someone over yourself. The love that you show is a product of God’s love for you and an active expression of your justifying faith. This is the foundation on which we should stand.
Well, if that's not convicting, I don't know what is. What Paul lists here isn't even a complete list. Dang... It certainly made me remember/realize how awful of a person I am. But even though I fail consistently, there is hope!
"My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness."
~ 2 Corinthians 12:9, ESV
Through His grace despite my weakness, He is powerful. Powerful enough to help me crucify the "old man" and put on the "new man."
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