Colossians 3:12-17 (NRSV)
Read Colossians 3:12-17 on biblegateway.com
Verse 12As God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Verse 13Bear 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. Verse 14Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. Verse 15And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. Verse 16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. Verse 17And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Devotion
If December 25th is all about celebrating the birth of Christ, then the days that follow are about fleshing out the meaning and significance of this birth. Today Paul admonishes us to love one another, bear with one another and forgive each other. This message — this call — is just as relevant today as it was when Paul wrote it. We live in a world that is so divided along racial, ethnic, religious and many other lines. As God's freed and redeemed people we have the opportunity this Christmas season to make the choice to bear the light of incarnate love into this dark world. How would this world change if instead of trying to be right all the time, in celebration of the birth of Christ we were to focus on loving our neighbor, forgiving each other and bearing with one another?
Prayer
Almighty God, may Christ be born in my heart this day, that I might bear the incarnate light of love to all whom I meet. Amen.