Choosing What to Wear Today

This morning I am reflecting on a few verses from Paul's letter to the Colossians 3:9-14 NIV:

[9] "Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices [10] and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. [11] Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all."

[12] "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. [13] Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. [14] And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity."

There are several themes of significance in these verses, so I will work my way down the themes in the order they caught my attention.  The first phrase that jumped out to me was that we are to "forgive as the Lord forgave you."  That seems like such a  simple statement, and yet it is much bigger than it appears.  The Greek word used by Paul is "charizomai" and it means the following:

1) to do something pleasant or agreeable (to one), to do a favour to, gratify
    a) to show one's self gracious, kind, benevolent
    b) to grant forgiveness, to pardon
    c) to give graciously, give freely, bestow
        1) to forgive
        2) graciously to restore one to another
        3) to preserve for one a person in peril

I always fund it interesting when reading original Greek and seeing that the translation chosen is several sub-definitions down the list, as forgiveness is in this definition.  I am not saying the definition is wrong, but I am saying there is likely more nuances to what Paul was saying that what we get from just reading the English translation.  In this case the two meaning before forgiveness have to do with giving something good, being kind and gracious, even benevolent.  The word translated greivance could also be translated complaint (which in my mind is a bit less legal sounding), and the encouragement is to be charizomai towards that person.  So we could read that sentence, "Stand up and be kind and benevolent towards the one you have a complaint against.  Treat them as well as Christ treated you!"  That certainly sounds different then the ways it was translated, and I think it is accurate to the rest of what Paul is saying in these verses.  He is calling us to get over our issues with each other, and to treat each other kindly (in the other verses).

As I was reflecting on this I was reminded of St. Therese of Lisieux and how she felt encouraged to treat one of the sisters that she just didn't like (whom she had several complaints against). Here is her reflection on that situation:

"A holy nun of our community annoyed me in all that she did; the devil must have had something to do with it, and he it was undoubtedly who made me see in her so many disagreeable points. I did not want to yield to my natural antipathy, for I remembered that charity ought to betray itself in deeds, and not exist merely in the feelings, so I set myself to do for this sister all I should do for the one I loved most. Every time I met her I prayed for her, and offered to God her virtues and merits. I felt that this was very pleasing to Our Lord, for there is no artist who is not gratified when his works are praised, and the Divine Artist of souls is pleased when we do not stop at the exterior, but, penetrating to the inner sanctuary He has chosen, admire its beauty." 

"I did not rest satisfied with praying for this Sister, who gave me such occasions for self-mastery, I tried to render her as many services as I could, and when tempted to answer her sharply, I made haste to smile and change the subject, for the Imitation says: “It is more profitable to leave everyone to his way of thinking than to give way to contentious discourses.” And sometimes when the temptation was very severe, I would run like a deserter from the battlefield if I could do so without letting the Sister guess my inward struggle."

One day she said to me with a beaming face: “My dear Soeur Thérèse, tell me what attraction you find in me, for whenever we meet, you greet me with such a sweet smile.” Ah! What attracted me was Jesus hidden in the depths of her soul— Jesus who maketh sweet even that which is most bitter.:"  (Excerpt from ST. THERESE OF LISIEUX: THE STORY OF A SOUL;  St. Therese of Lisieux,  MAGISTERIUM PRESS)

As I think about how the Lord treats me, in spite of my errors and sins, I find that this description by Therese, is accurate.  He never treats me with disdain, never with reproach, but always with Love and mercy, compassion and forgiveness, faithfulness and gentleness.  Could you imagine if we all treated those we have complaints against, in this manner?  This is putting on love, choosing to love!  This is such a great example of how love binds together, for rather than feeling judged or disliked, the nun actually felt that Therese had a special love for her!

Going back to Paul's earlier statements, we have taken off our old self and its practices and put on our new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of our creator!  We are reminded that we are all one body now, there is no difference for we are all part of the body of Christ.  Regardless of our opinions, our differences, our denomination we are all one in Christ Jesus!  It is time for us to put off the old ways and practices and embrace that which we have in Christ, a completely new self!

Paul is using language that makes it sound like clothes, 'take off the old, put on the new' and we would be wise to listen to him.  So much of our life is about choices we make, choices we embrace.  In St. Therese's example, she could have chosen to feel justified in annoyance, or allowed the annoyance to become offense, but instead she CHOSE to treat the offensive one in a kind manner.  She, with an act of will and thought, changed her garment from annoyance to kindness and love.  I, in the same manner, can choose to live my life loving those around me, treating people with the same " compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience" that Jesus shows me.  I can choose to take off the old ways, and practices, and put on the new, which is much more agreeable!  I know at the end of my days, I would prefer to be known for my compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience, than for my correctness!

Lord, thank You for this gentle encouragement this morning!  Help me to put on the new, and treat all my brothers and sisters, as You treat me!  I want to choose what to wear today, and it is compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience!  That is a beautiful outfit, if I do say so!

Amen!