Over compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, Colossians 3 tells us to put on love. What does that look like with people who are hard to love?
By Gaylyn Williams2 min read
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. – Colossians 3:12-14
Think about all the qualities described in verses 12-13.
Verse 14 says that over all of the other virtues—compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, bearing with and forgiving—we are to put on love. What do you think that looks like?
The word for love here is agape in the Greek, meaning “unconditional, self-sacrificing, active, volitional, and thoughtful love” (Wikipedia).
Why do you think Paul put love at the end of this list, rather than at the beginning?
Are there people in your life who are hard to love? What might you need to do?
