Listen

Be tolerant with each other and, if someone has a complaint against anyone, forgive each other. As the Lord forgave you, so also forgive each other.

Colossians 3:13

Think

Do you ever fall in love with an item of clothing in your favorite store, go to the dressing room to try it on, and then realize when you step in front of the mirror that it looks way different on you than you imagined? We sometimes have to grab another size or just put that shirt back altogether and try on something else.

I like to think that “putting on Christ” — clothing ourselves in the way of Jesus — might take a couple of tries until we get the fit right. And that’s okay.

In yesterday’s Bible verses, Paul told the Colossians to clothe themselves in Christ by practicing compassion, kindness, and gentleness. And in the very next verse, he mentions, “If someone has a complaint against anyone…”

In other words, you all can try on this new Christ-style, but you’re still human. So be patient with yourselves and with one another as you search for the right fit. And in the meantime, a little bit of forgiveness goes really well with that new outfit.

Meredith Forssman

Pray

God, I’m trying to dress myself in your ways so that others might even recognize you when they look at me. But it doesn’t always work out. Thank you for the forgiveness that you give me so freely. I’m glad for the chance to try again. And help me to extend this forgiveness to others. Amen.

Go

You are always in God’s sight pleasing,
always in God’s sight lovely,
always in God’s sight as though you were perfect.

For you are complete in Christ Jesus, and perfect in Christ Jesus.

You stand fully clothed in Christ.

Always.

Based on words by the great 19th-century preacher, Charles Spurgeon