Confession time: I do not love making decisions. If you ask me where I want to eat for dinner, I will quickly say that any restaurant sounds good to me and ask where you would like to go. I have a hard time making decisions for several reasons, but regardless of the reason, I have come to recognize that I need to grow in this area. I need to become better at making decisions. After all, every single day, you and I are responsible for making many decisions, big and small. Perhaps one of the greatest decisions we can make is the decision to love. We may not realize it, but love is a decision we make every day. We get to decide whether or not to love the people around us each day.
Paul calls us to choose to love in Colossians 3. Before imploring us to choose love, he explains why we should put on love. He teaches that those who follow Christ have new lives in Him and that they are to live according to those new lives. “Set your sights on the realities of heaven,” he writes (verse 1). “For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God” (verse 3). Because we are children of God, we are called to live differently. Paul continues telling us exactly how we are called to live differently, particularly by the way we love, saying, “above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony” (verse 14). The command to clothe ourselves with love is interesting. After all, we choose every day what to wear. We make a conscious decision to get dressed for the day every day, and we choose what to wear based on that day’s activities. Just like the clothing we wear is a conscious choice, love is a choice. We choose to love the people in our lives and those we interact with daily. The question is, will we choose to wear it?
Imagine the impact we could have in the world if we chose to take this call to love seriously. Imagine the lives that could be impacted if we chose to love people with the love of Christ. So, my friends, let’s commit to showing the love of Christ to everyone around us today. After all, our world is in desperate need of it.
Who is someone in your life who is difficult to love at times? What would it look like if you consciously chose to love them regardless of circumstances? Maybe it means showing compassion when it is difficult. Maybe it means simply making space to forgive them. It will look different for all of us. Whatever it may look like, make a conscious choice to put on love today.
"Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 2 Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. 3 For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.
5 So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. 6 Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming. 7 You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world. 8 But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. 9 Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. 10 Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. 11 In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.
12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. 14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.
16 Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. 17 And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father."
