Living the Name.  Colossians 3.12-17

Winter greetings. 

He said, she said . . . and then they said it back to each other a little louder, and soon they were at it…arguing again!  ‘Not in an intimate relationship?  Not to worry!  You will have plenty of opportunity to be at odds with someone soon--at work, in the classroom, on your sports team, across the dinner table, in the checkout line at the grocery store, or trying to scratch out a living in a Kenyan or Ugandan village ... unless you choose otherwise. It is the reason Paul wrote to remind us how to choose the better path, especially since we belong to God.  Take a look with me at Paul’s charge to us, but be certain to hear his heart in his words—oh, and do savor the words—read as to absorb and let the virtues become a part of your very being:

~ 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.

~ Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

~ Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.

~ And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Thank you, Paul, for this is the essence of Christian living. 

Are you a person who thrives with a checklist?  How are you living and loving in Christ?  The checklist Paul provides gives us a great opportunity to take stock of ourselves.  Paul said to ‘clothe’ ourselves with these godly attributes – oh, if only we could just put on a garment that would set us for each day! 

Of course, the underlining and red lettering above are mine, designed to help us notice a few things about these verses.  True virtuous living finds its origins in the person of Jesus Christ, our teacher, model, Savior and guide.  We are meant to live daily with his word alive in our minds.  One way we can do so is by singing hymns and songs of praise.  (Do you know that the earliest Scripture verses I memorized as a wee child were the ones set to simple melody lines? They are with me to this day: ‘Beloved, let us love one another… for love is of God and everyone that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God …’ 1 John 4.7 and 8.  Then there was ‘Study to show thyself approved unto men, a workman tat needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.’  2 Timothy 2.15 I could go on, but I won’t.)

Finally, in just six verses, Paul mentions the importance of giving thanks three times.  It is not just good and right to give thanks to God, but when we choose to be thankful, the way of gratitude breathes new life into our lives.  So let’s be a thankful people, regularly breathing out our thanks to God throughout the day. 

And I guess if we could truly clothe ourselves, we would be doing what Paul told us to do in verse 17: whether in word or deed, we would do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus.  So, let’s do just that, Friends … whatever we do, let us work at it with all our hearts so as unto God, remembering that as Christians, it is his name we bear.  Let’s bring him glory.  Amen.