Above all these, put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. – Colossians 3:14
There is a story about a man in a foreign country who, as he walked down the street one night, neared a stranger whistling a tune. The first man knew the melody well, so he began whistling it too. The other man looked startled at first but then realized the two had a common bond. They stopped for an instant, hugged each other, and then each continued on their way. What drew them together in that brief moment? It was their song, “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.” Faith in the Savior breaks down all barriers.
Love for the Lord is a relationship that immediately ties fellow believers to each other in ways that nothing else can. The apostle Paul wrote to the Colossians to encourage them to continue to forsake sinful behavior and to cultivate characteristics consistent with the Christian life: “compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,” as well as long-suffering and forgiving attitudes (Colossians 3:12-13). He was quick to add that these qualities would only have meaning and depth if they were bound together in Christian love. In The Preacher’s Homiletic Commentary, Reverend George Barlow describes God’s gift as “the richest fruit of the new spiritual nature implanted in the believer.”
While people can relate to each other because of similar tastes or intellectual pursuits, the permanency of the love of Christ brings unity to a church or community that nothing else can give. Oh, what an influencer the Church could be in the world if this love was more freely exercised. Pray it be so… from the walls of your own home to the halls of government.
Today’s Verse: Colossians 3:14
And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.
All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Recommended for further reading: Colossians 3:8-17
But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. 11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.
12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
