God’s Closet
And so, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience Colossians 3:12
Put On – The Greek verb enduo (put on) describes the picture of getting dressed. You go to the closet where the clothes hang. You pick out what you’re going to wear today and you put on the garments. That’s what Paul has in mind. But there are a few things we need to know about this description that significantly add to the picture.
First, this verb is the first word in Paul’s sentence. Literally, the sentence begins, “Put on, therefore, as elect ones.” By placing the verb at the beginning of the sentence, Paul essentially underlines it. The emphasis of this command is in the action of getting dressed, not in the selection of what to wear.
Secondly, notice that in order to put on these garments, you have to do something. You have to take the steps necessary to wrap yourself in these clothes. You can’t sit naked in the room waiting for God to dress you in compassion and kindness. This implication is crucial because it prevents us from falling into the trap of thinking that we are to wait until God changes our hearts or our feelings before we exhibit compassion, kindness or humility. Popular religion implies that we must first have a change of heart before we can demonstrate godly characteristics. Paul rejects such drivel. Get dressed! How you feel about getting dressed doesn’t matter.
Notice that if the action does not depend on how I feel, then things like compassion, kindness, humility and gentleness must also be actions, not feelings. God does not command us to feel certain ways. He commands us to act in certain ways. Feelings are a by-product of our actions. They come afterward, not before. So, when Paul tells us to dress in compassion or kindness, we are to think about doing compassionate acts or exhibiting kindness toward others even if I don’t feel like it. What else could Paul possibly mean? How could I ever put on a heart of compassion if I had to wait to feel compassionate before I could get dressed?
It’s very convenient to have a religious view that God must change my feelings before I can demonstrate godly actions. It’s a great excuse for spiritual sloth to decide that I don’t need to take action unless my heart is correctly motivated. Those rationalizations leave me naked. God’s closet is full of godly garments. My job is to get dressed. What I will discover is that when I put on the actions of compassion, kindness and humility, I will be transformed to fit the clothes.
So, take a look in the mirror. Are you sitting naked, waiting for God to somehow motivate you to get dressed? Or are you putting on His choice of clothing by doing what the clothes require? If you want a compassionate heart, go be compassionate! Hang your feelings in the closet and walk away dressed in actions.
Topical Index: New Man
