And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It's your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.
Colossians 3:14 - MSG
What shall I wear? It’s a common question many people ask as they get ready for the day, a special occasion, or work. It seems like what we put on makes a difference. We wouldn’t want to wear blue jeans to a formal dinner or a swimsuit to church. Yes, what we wear makes a difference, doesn’t it?
Today's verse agrees. But it stresses something a bit different, doesn't it? Love. Put on love. Just like getting dressed in the morning, we must remember to put on love. But I thought love was already in us. I mean, it's a part of the fruit of the Spirit, right? So why are we being instructed by the Word of God to put on love?
Perhaps "love" has a greater meaning than we sometimes think. In today's verse, the word for love is "agape." Without going too deeply into the Greek language, a good working definition of this word is this: Love—agape love—is seeking the other person's highest good with no self-seeking motive of our own. That's quite a bit different from emotional love or friendship love. This is self-sacrificing love, and it doesn't always come naturally. We must choose to put it on, intentionally allowing God's love within us to become visible through the way we treat others.
You see, there's a difference between having God's love within us and actually demonstrating that love to others. Yes, love is part of the fruit of the Spirit. But that doesn't mean we automatically express it in every situation. Sometimes it takes a deliberate choice. We choose to love when it's difficult, when we're disappointed, when someone has hurt us, and even when we simply don't feel like it. Yes, we have the ability to choose to show the true love of God to others. But it's a choice we must make every time.
Agape love is the ultimate mark of the Christian life. It doesn't replace compassion, kindness, humility, or patience. Rather, it brings them together and gives them their fullest expression. When we put on love, we are putting on the all-purpose garment that helps us respond to the shortcomings of others with grace rather than condemnation.
Back to the imagery of getting dressed. Think about putting on your spiritual garments. Choose to put on grace, kindness, and forgiveness. While these too are choices, love is the outer garment that holds everything together. It's what gives those other qualities their true meaning and purpose.
Or think about the physical body. Love acts like the ligaments or joints in our body. It holds all the other virtues together so they don't fall apart or become hypocritical. Without love, patience wears thin and forgiveness runs out. Love makes the other virtues complete and functional. It's your basic, all-purpose garment.
And one last thought on this whole "put on" thing. Love isn't just a passive, warm emotional feeling. It's an intentional, everyday decision to act selflessly toward others—just as Christ has loved us and demonstrated that love through His actions.
When we love, truly love, we are extending Christ's love to others. And that, my friends, is something worth putting on every single day! It’s your basic all-purpose garment.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for loving us with a perfect and selfless love. As we go through this day, help us to put on the garment of love above all else. Teach us to choose kindness when it is difficult, patience when we are tested, forgiveness when we are hurt, and grace when others fall short.
Let Your agape love fill our hearts so completely that it overflows into every conversation, every relationship, and every opportunity You place before us. Help us to love not only with our words, but with our actions, reflecting the love that Christ has shown to us. May Your love hold together every virtue You are building within us and make us a living testimony of Your goodness and mercy.
In Jesus' Name, Amen…
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