Faith Matters | Build a life of goodness and love day by day, one step at a time
One of the most remarkable things about the Christian faith is that we believe by the power of the Holy Spirit, we can be like Christ. This is because we are loved — cherished and chosen by God! The mandate for all who know this transformative love is to embrace it so deeply so that the love becomes you. And you become the love – in all that you say and do. These verses from Colossians 3 challenge us to put on love like clothing: 12 As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. 13 Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.
On Sunday, consider how much God loves you with an unstoppable love. Despite all the messes you have made, God loves you and wants the best for you! Celebrate that in communal worship, if possible! Gratitude for God’s love and the encouragement of others will enable you to get up, get dressed, and make a difference.
On Monday, put on your compassion cloak. The word compassion means “suffer with” so compassion is your ability to take another person’s pain inside your cloak and feel it with them, as if it were a sharp object hidden inside your cloak.
On Tuesday, put on your kindness kicks, as in shoes. That means you are running to help others. You are kicking obstacles out of their way, making the life of others easier.
On Wednesday, wear your humility hat — a lid for your big-headed moments. In times of conflict, be the first to apologize. Decide that the relationship is more valuable than being right. Humility, humanity, humble, humane, humor — all begin with hum. Hum a little tune that makes you take yourself less seriously.
On Thursday, put on your meekness mesh. Meekness is not weakness, but meekness gives space to let the Spirit flow in and out. Meekness is not taking up all the space in the room. Meekness is listening and learning, not pretending to know it all. It is a quiet spirit that pays attention and does not need to be first or best.
On Friday, put on your patience pants, because people are going to push your buttons, and life is going to go the wrong way, and you are going to be waiting for others and frustrated by them. You will need patience, even with yourself, when you have made a mess of it.
On Saturday, wear your forgiveness fleece no matter how hot you are at those who irritate. Forgive them and give them the fresh start that God gives you daily. Forgiveness is only possible after wearing the other character traits. You cannot reach the weekend, hoping your forgiveness fleece will just magically cover all the insults and wounds, if you have not been wearing compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience all week.
On Sunday, celebrate that you are loved by God and get your clothes out again. My daughter is hiking the entire Appalachian Trail, which is nearly 2,200 miles of trekking. She is over half-way there, after starting on Feb. 15.
How does she do it? Step-by-step. One day at a time. Same with the long journey of building a life of goodness and love.
Faith Matters is written by members of the Bradenton clerical community. Elizabeth Deibert is pastor and head of staff at Peace Presbyterian Church in Lakewood Ranch.