“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” (Colossians 3:12 NIV)
INTRODUCTION: Colossians 3:12 marks a turning point in Paul's letter where he moves from doctrine to daily living. After reminding believers that they have been raised with Christ and given a new identity in Him, Paul calls them to live in a manner that reflects their new nature. Because they are God's chosen, holy, and beloved people, they are to clothe themselves with Christlike qualities that demonstrate His character to the world.
COMPASSION
Frederick Buechner wrote, "Compassion is the sometimes fatal capacity for feeling what it is like to live inside somebody else's skin. It is the knowledge that there can never really be any peace and joy for me until there is peace and joy for you, too."
What is compassion? It is Jesus coming to earth to be like us, to identify with our human experience. One of His greatest desires is that we show the same compassion to others, that we show mercy and ease suffering…
Compassion doesn't come naturally to us. We are by nature self-centered. It takes time and a work of God's grace to develop compassion…
We learn compassion either by going through certain circumstances or by trying to imagine what other people are going through…
When we go through the death of a friend or family member, an illness, or a trying time, we often discover that the people who come alongside us and help the most are people who either have experienced the same difficulties or try to understand what we are going through without feeling a need to fix or make judgments.
Compassion reaches into hearts and lives, past barriers, past judgments, and brings the touch of God.
-- William and Nancie Carmichael in “Lord Bless My Child”
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