Your New Life Should Be …
Colossians 3:12 God has chosen you and made you his holy people. He loves you. So your new life should be like this: Show mercy to others. Be kind, humble, gentle, and patient.
When things aren’t ticking along quite as you’d planned, when others aren’t playing the game your way, it’s easy to blame them or your circumstances; even, to blame God. It kind of comes naturally.
We live in a world where people are more and more laying the blame for their woes at the feet of others, or governments, or the economy, or … well, whoever else happens to be in the firing line.
But looking in the mirror, taking responsibility for their own emotions, their own thoughts, their own behaviours … ohhhhh, no. Absolutely not! Why take responsibility, why change, when you can blame the other guy? We’ve all done it, and some – even amongst God’s own people – are still doing it, will continue doing it and may never stop doing it.
The other day, I was really quite tired. Some people came over for what was meant to be a short afternoon tea, but they stayed and stayed and stayed. Inside, I was getting quite grumpy and tired.
So what do you do when something like that happens – which it does?
Colossians 3:12 God has chosen you and made you his holy people. He loves you. So your new life should be like this: Show mercy to others. Be kind, humble, gentle, and patient.
Let’s just apply that into the situation I’ve just described. Because of God’s love, because He’s set you and me apart, we’re meant to change, to live a new life, to show mercy to others.
What does that look like? Be kind, humble, gentle, and patient.
As 20th century pastor, theologian and martyr, Dietrich Bonhoeffer once said: To know God is to change!
#NoteToSelf: Take responsibility.
That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.
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