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Colossians 3:14 – Clothing for the Soul

A small child standing in the snow wearing lots of clothes

And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Summary: Clothing protects the body, covers the parts that need covering, and keeps us warm. Spiritual clothing is similar but provides a whole different kind of protection. 

How many layers of clothing do you normally wear? For most people, “two or three” is probably a typical answer. Sometimes, going outside in cold weather might require a few more layers, but rarely does it add up to six or seven layers. 

When Paul encourages us believers to be clothed in virtue, he uses clothing for our bodies as a metaphor for the clothing we need for our souls.

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Colossians 3:13c – The High Bar

Picture of athlete running to pole vault.

Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 

Summary: Forgiving as the Lord forgives, sets the bar fairly high. Fortunately, Jesus shows us how it is done.  

”I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.”

— John 13:15

The quote above is Jesus speaking. The scene was the last supper before he was crucified. It was the Passover meal, the celebration of God’s final curse on the Egyptians before Pharaoh finally let Moses lead the Israelites out. 

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Colossians 3:13b – The Big Ask

Picture of a man with his arms crossed scowling at the person next to them.

… and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone.

Summary: When the Bible talks about forgiveness, it touches a nerve people can relate to.  

Suddenly, although it should not come as a surprise, we turn the corner of Paul’s thinking and come face to face with the Big Ask. 

Paul has been instructing us about God’s love for us as his chosen people. God wants us to clothe ourselves with qualities that reflect God’s love; compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 

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Colossians 3:12g – A Car Called Patience

The view from a car waiting for the train to pass at a RR crossing.

…[clothe yourselves with] … patience.

Summary: Patience is an interesting word. It evokes looking at the clock waiting for our favorite TV show to start, but it is so much more than that. 

Finally, we come to the end of the train! Like sitting in your car at a railroad crossing waiting for the endless stream of boxcars to file by. You have patiently waited until we finally get to the last rail car; a car called “Patience.” 

What do you think of when you see that word? Does the word “suffering” come to mind? 

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Colossians 3:12e – Something to Remember

AI Picture of Moses in four stages of life - as a baby in a basket, as a young man, as a shepherd, and with the burning bush.

…[clothe yourselves with] … humility …

Summary: In the grand scheme of things, understanding a word like “humility” requires us to have an understanding of how we measure our own self-importance. 

When I think of humility, I always think of Moses. The Bible says that Moses was “a very humble man.” It goes on to say that he was “more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth” (Number 12:3). 

At first glance, that statement sounds oxymoronic. 

We assume the first five books of the Bible are written by Moses, so how could he claim to be “more humble than anyone else” and still be humble? 

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Colossians 3:12d – God’s Compass

Picture of a direction marker against a background of stars.

…[clothe yourselves with] … kindness …

Summary: The word “kindness” can mean different things depending on who is being kind to whom. However, when it comes to godly kindness there is only one standard, and God wrote the book on it. 

When you think about the word “kindness,” what examples come to mind? Do you think of something someone has done for you, or does your mind go to things you have done for others? 

What kind of thing comes to mind these days? If I pay for your coffee, is that a kindness? What if I make you smile with a kind word or hold the door for you?

“Kindness” is one of those words that sounds simple and obvious, but in practice, it can be hard to pin down. 

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Colossians 3:12c – Doing Compassion

…[clothe yourselves with] …compassion …

Picture of people serving food to an elderly woman.

Summary: God’s Word is amazingly consistent in every way. Compassion has something very much in common with faith; both require deeds to become real. 

The first piece of spiritual “clothing” that Paul wants us to put on is compassion. 

“Compassion” is a word that describes the feelings of pity and sympathy we have for people who are suffering. The Greek word Paul used takes this concept even further. 

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Colossians 3:12b – God’s Closet

Picture: A clothes rack full of brightly colored sweatshirts.

…clothe yourselves with …

Summary: Paul provides us with an interesting metaphor for Christian living — putting on clothes. It is something we all do every day, and it is an easy way to visualize the change God wants to see in our lives. 

Yikes! This is where Christianity gets real. 

Looking back at verses nine and ten, Paul talks about taking off the “old self” and putting on the “new self.” Now he is telling us exactly how to do it. In the transition from nonbeliever to believer, this difference between “old self” and “new” is where the rubber hits the road. 

And what, exactly, is the difference? 

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