Today in God's Word—April 2023
East Tallassee Church of Christ
April 29, Colossians 3
You may not need this message. Maybe no one in your family ever hurts anyone’s feelings and all your neighbors, co-workers and fellow church members are always kind and considerate. So, do you need this? I thought you might.
“Bearing with one another” is easy to understand, but difficult to obey. There are some challenging people in our lives. We love God and want to obey him. We want to honor Christ and please him. But these impossible people God put in our lives are about to get on our last nerve. How do we bear with them? Let’s see three pictures from this text, three pantomimes to help you remember.
Imagine someone has offended you (again). It’s the last straw. Before you blast them with a hot barrage of words, please do three things.
First, hold your hand up as if your palm is a mirror and look at yourself. The first key to bearing with others is seeing yourself clearly. You are God’s chosen one, holy and beloved. You must remember this before you stop bearing with someone. I’m sure they don’t deserve your forbearance. Did you deserve God’s? He chose you, set you apart and loved you when you didn’t deserve it. You need to know that before you go.
Next, choose what you’ll wear to the confrontation. Will you put on the wardrobe Jesus provides—the compassion, kindness, humility, meekness and patience with which we’re supposed to be clothed? Or, will you go out to the trash can and dig out the old, filthy clothes of anger, wrath, malice, slander
and obscene talk? You took them off and threw them away when you started following Jesus. You have legitimate complaints against others. Choose to love and forgive as the Lord has forgiven you. The old you died with Christ; the new you was raised with him. You are destined to share his glory. Don’t go back to the old rags. Wear your new clothes.
Then write the name “Jesus” on one of those peel-and-stick name tags, and put it on your chest. Blasphemy, you say? Not at all! We’re supposed to do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus. His peace is supposed to rule in our hearts. His word is supposed to dwell in us. We should be Jesus to the people around us, especially to those who are not kind and loving to us.
So when you can’t bear with an annoying person any longer, follow this simple strategy to find strength beyond yourself. Look in the mirror. See yourself clearly—you were chosen, set apart and beloved of God, when you didn’t deserve it. Put on the right clothes. Put on your best, not those filthy rags you discarded when you came to Christ. Remember your name tag. Be Jesus to the people around you. Show them his compassion. Demonstrate his love.
Imagine how our homes, churches and communities would be changed if we would bear with one another!
From The Abiding Companion: A Friendly Guide for Your Journey Through the New Testament, Copyright © 2010 by Michael B. McElroy. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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