Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. (Colossians 3:12, NIV)
Golfers wear a uniform when they play. Every golfer has clothing that is specifically designed for golfers. This particular type of clothing helps communicate to other people that we are somebody who plays golf. Each golfer has their own particular style or flair for how they dress, but it always involves wearing some version of golf specific clothing.
In our scripture today, we are instructed to do the same as we live our lives before God and the people who surround us. What should our uniform look like and how can we wear it in the way that most inspires those we seek to influence for God?
I want to dress my whole life in a way that clearly identifies me as being someone different from the world.We believers in Jesus are chosen by God and are holy and dearly loved by him. We are special in his sight and for that reason we are asked by God to dress ourselves in a particular way. We are God’s communication to the world around us. He speaks through us.
I don’t know why he chose to get his message of grace to the world in this particular way, but I do know that was how he showed himself to me. I also know that I can bear witness to what he has done for me, by allowing the qualities that I have seen in his dealings with me shine through my life to those around me. Qualities like compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Qualities that don’t come naturally to me.
In the same way I dress to play golf, I can make a deliberate effort to be the kind of person who sees the people around me in the same way God sees me. I am hopelessly lost without him, but his kindness, compassion, humility, gentleness and patience wooed me to him, and just maybe, my efforts to be kind, compassionate, humble, gentle and patient will allow another lost person to find their way to him.
If I dress to play golf in a way to identify myself as a golfer, I know people will recognize me as a golfer. I want to dress my whole life in a way that clearly identifies me as being someone different from the world. I will do that, not so much by what I say, but by how willing I am to let the light that I see clothe me in a way that reflects the one I serve. The world sees what I do and how I live. Will I be clothed in his expression of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience, or will I look just like the rest of the world around me?
We serve an awesome God who has chosen us and who says we are holy and dearly loved. He empowers us to live a life that reflects his grace to the world around us. We can’t do any of this in our own strength, but we can choose to lay down our life to be his communication to the world, and he will speak through us.
—
Linda Ballard
November 3, 2016
Copyright 2016 Links Players International
The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.