Can you become a better person? Most definitely. God has plans for it, actually. And his life-changing grace will help you.
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience” (Colossians 3:12). Can you imagine a world made of those? A family and home filled with those? A church community practicing those consistently? How’s that possible?
It starts with you. In two powerful ways.
First: God chose you to live that way, because he knows you can live that way. Wait, aren’t you a sinner? Yes, of course, we all are. But when God chooses you to be his child, you change.
You are “holy and dearly loved” (Colossians 3:12) You’re a sinner but God doesn’t see you that way. He sees you as holy, just like his Son Jesus. He dearly loves you, and is faithful and forgiving. That’s how he knows you can be a better person. How you can practice the five acts of beauty listed above.
God chose you to be on his team, in his family, and that’s the winning team wearing God’s clothes like uniforms. So, secondly, put on your uniform. “Clothe yourselves.”
There’s something about uniforms that identifies you to others as being, for example, an airline pilot walking through the airport or a police officer entering the building. When you put on the uniform, others can identify you.
Even before that, however, putting on a uniform does something else. When you put on a uniform, you remind yourself who you are, your position, your responsibilities, and your many blessings.
Bruce Wayne puts on his Batman uniform, steps into the Batmobile, and thinks, “Wow, I can fight crime like a superhero!”
Do you want to be more compassionate, more gentle, more patient? God chose you to be a spiritual superhero. You have all those gifts already promised to you by God in Jesus Christ. They are yours. So use them!
PRAYER: Dear God, I want to be a better person, and live up to the better version of me that you have planned. Thank you for loving me. As I clothe myself with your love, equip me to be more compassionate, gentle and patient. Amen.
FURTHER MEDITATION: Look up Bible verses related to the virtues in Colossians 3:12. What do you appreciate about each of these verses? What is the common theme? Compassion (2 Corinthians 1:3,4). Kindness (Titus 3:4). Humility (Philippians 2:5–8). Gentleness (Matthew 21:5). Patience (Romans 2:4).