Spring flowers! Fresh air! Warm breezes! New clothes! Yes, I’ll admit that the change of seasons does cause my thoughts to drift towards new outfits. This is not a year that will be punctuated by many shopping trips, but Paul’s exhortations in the third chapter of Colossians did jump out at me.
It is a chapter that is full of activity: setting our hearts, setting our minds, putting to death, getting rid of, taking off, putting on, clothing ourselves. It sounds like a spring closet cleaning to me. Perhaps what God really wants me to do is to look into the closet of my heart and see what is hanging around. Are there old habits, wants, sins, and grudges that are filling the shelves?
Am I committed to setting my heart and my mind on the things above and not on earthly things? If my life is truly hidden with Christ in God, then the recesses of my heart should be like a window thrown open on a warm spring day. The Holy Spirit should be able to easily reach in to clothe me with compassion and kindness. Perhaps today will call for a lovely shawl of gentleness or a warm coat of patience. No outfit will be complete without the finishing touch of a gossamer veil of humility.
Paul reminds me of the trappings that I want to be wearing when I tell others about my Savior. When my heart is dressed in love and unity, then nothing will detract from the truth of His message. I bet Paul didn’t intend to preach about shopping!
Kathleen Tatro
May 3
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Very good!
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