21 ½ Years ago on August 7th, I went to one of the most beautiful weddings I’ve ever been to. The officiant was someone I deeply respect and the people getting married have helped define who I am as a person and a mother, so I remember the wedding well!
The officiant quoted from Colossians 3:12-14 and reviewing it is a great way for us to do a little personal check-up regarding our relationships with our children.
12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
My mom was an English teacher, so you’ll understand when I start off by asking the question… what is the therefore there for?
Colossians 3:1-4 talks about setting our hearts and minds on things above, not on earthly things, because we have been raised with Christ and are now hidden in Him.
I love this picture. Think of when your children were young (or this morning, depending on your parenting stage) and your children would hide behind you thinking no one could see them. That’s what this reminds me of – being so close to Jesus that we are hidden behind Him, so that people seeking us will find Him first.
Colossians 3:5-10 talks about things of earth that we need to get rid of that we used to do but that didn’t honor God. It talks about having put on the new self, renewed in the knowledge of its creator. This reminds me of what it was like when my daughter would play dress up in a princess costume when she was four. She became a princess when the dress was on. She twirled, curtseyed, and felt lovely. We are to put on the things of heaven. The truths, hopes, and realities that come from God that cannot be replace by cheap imitations of this world. When we put on the truth, we remember who we are and behave as the royalty we were created to be.
We are holy, chosen, and dearly loved as princesses and princes as children of the King of kings. When we know that and let it sink in, all the things we give up from this world don’t matter one bit.
Colossians 3:11 says, “Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.”
Christ is all. Christ is in all. “THEREFORE…
…as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” Colossians 3:12
What Colossians 3:5-9 distractions do you need to get rid of that distract you from clothing yourself with the truth?
Spend some time thinking about the fact that your children are also chosen, holy and dearly loved.
What can you do this week to help your children put on these heavenly truths and get rid of any distractions keeping them from living as spiritual royalty?