Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
Colossians 3:12-14
I read about a pastor who had a woman come to his office, informing him that she was sick and tired of her husband and wanted a divorce. “I don’t want just a divorce. I want to get even.” The pastor considered the situation for a moment and then made a suggestion. “Here’s what you do. Go home and treat your husband really well. Notice all the things he does right and compliment him. Tell him you love him. Then when the divorce comes he will be caught completely off guard.” She agreed to the plan. A few months later he met with the woman again. “When are you going to tell him you’re leaving?” he asked. “Never!” she exclaimed. “I love him too much to ever leave.” Of course he understood all the time that if she treated her husband with love, it would change the way she viewed their relationship.
The Bible tells us that we are to “put on” love. That does not mean that we fake feelings for others, but rather than we wear love like a coat, putting ourselves inside it and allowing it to drive and dictate our actions, words and thoughts. When we are clothed in love, it changes everything about the way we interact with others. Jesus was asked about the most commandments He first said that we must love God above all else. Then He said, “And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:31).
It may not always be easy to want to do what is loving toward someone else, but it is usually fairly easy to identify what that loving thing would be. That is what we should be doing to those around us.
