Living in the Spirit
July 28, 2016

Scripture Reading: Colossians 3:1-11

Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is earthly: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry). On account of these the wrath of God is coming on those who are disobedient. These are the ways you also once followed, when you were living that life. But now you must get rid of all such things—anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive language from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator. –Colossians 3:5-10

It is interesting that scriptures, like the one above, are used by Christians as the basis for judging other people. When we do, we are not reading it well. If ever there were a self-help scripture, this is one. Addressed to each of its readers, it does not give license to judge others. It gives encouragement to examine oneself and work to shed those behaviors that are not only separating us from God but also inhibiting our ability to carry forth the work Christ called us to do. I fear Christians tend to stop reading at the end of the first list for which most can claim some self-righteousness. We rarely get to the second list for which most can find some complicity.

On first observation, these lists include words that are open to broad interpretation. My greed may not be like your greed, but it is still greed. It is hard to change old habits. Impossible in my case without the loving, tenacity of a forgiving God who remolds and remakes* me every day as I examine myself and come up short. Hopefully, pray fully, not as short as I was the day before.

Our need to judge others robs them of the experience of their discovery in relationship with Jesus Christ to be remolded and remade. We only need to introduce them to the love of God and support them as they join our journey toward wholeness. Our words may be important as a part of that introduction, but our deeds of love are crucial in accepting them just as they are and for the persons they are becoming.

Prayer: Lord, we thank you for remolding and remaking us. We ask that you enable our love to be like yours so others can come to know at least a tiny taste of your love through us. Amen.

*From the refrain of Are Ye Able by Earl Marlett. See at http://www.hymnary.org/text/are_ye_able_said_the_master

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized 
Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council 
of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.