Clothing ourselves with Christ

"Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." — Colossians 3:12-14

There are a lot of challenging ideas in Mark Labberton's book, "Called." One of the biggest is that we live in exile. The idea that we are aliens living in a strange land — a post-Christendom world, as it were.

How then, do we live our primary call, as servants and witnesses of Jesus Christ? It's no easy task, especially in a world that's often hostile to our beliefs. In fact, the past few weeks have been among the most challenging I can remember.

In the wake of a political and legal decision made by the Supreme Court, we've seen just how fractured our country is. In fact, we've seen how fractured those who call themselves Christians are. Many people have had many different reactions. But what's probably been the most difficult is the spirit with which this divergent views have been expressed.

One of the things I've long struggled with is the way some Christians, especially those in the public eye, choose to convey their beliefs. It's not that their theology is incorrect, it's that their approach lacks grace and humility, and often furthers the divide between the church and the world. This issue of marriage is particularly divisive — within the Christian community and as we approach the world.

I was convicted, Sunday, in listening to Paul's words in Colossians 3. It's not that we shouldn't stand firm for what we believe — we absolutely must — it's the manner in which we engage the world. As God's chosen, we are called to a different way.

Paul lists a few attributes — compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience — that we are to "clothe" ourselves with as Christians. This is especially important as we try to engage the world and change hearts and minds for Christ. Yet, sadly, what I've seen the past few weeks lacks all those things. And more importantly, it often lacks love.

We can, and should, hate sin, as God hates it. But we can, and should, love the sinners, as God loves them. Too often the sinner and the sin become intertwined in these arguments, and our noblest intentions turn intro something ugly. The world meets that ugliness with more ugliness. That doesn't benefit anyone.

Compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience are important virtues, and something we should strive to convey each day. It's a tough challenge, but one we are called to meet. That's something to remember during these fraught and turbulent times in exile.