| “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” |
| —Colossians 3:12a |
I have now been disabled, with significant mobility issues, since the summer of 1998. In the last nearly 26 years, I have had to discard most of my pride and learn to gratefully depend on the kindness of others. This has not been easy for someone who has lived exceedingly independently for most of his life.
In the fall of 2014, ten years ago, a very dear friend appeared at my door. “I’ve come to help,"” he said. A few hours earlier we had talked by phone, just to catch up with each other. When he asked what I was up to, I told him about a humidifier issue I had struggled with for several weeks. Here’s what I shared with him:
One of my two basement humidifiers had been recalled. I ordered a new one, but it had quit after a couple of weeks. I then ordered yet another unit, which had arrived, but I had no way to get it down to the basement. I ended this part of the conversation by explaining that I had guests coming to dinner on the following Monday, six days away, and likely they would help get the new unit down to the basement.
In just a couple of hours, my doorbell rang. Here was my friend, who had driven across town. In no time at all he had the new humidifier into the basement, out of its box, hooked up, and running.
I cannot begin to express how grateful I am for this singular act of kindness. He responded with such grace and compassion because he knows how frustrated I am that my disability prevents me from doing things that used to be so easy.
In this case, as in so many others, continuing to this very day, I have learned that the kindness of friends, and sometimes strangers, can make a huge difference in my life. This is exactly what the Apostle Paul was talking about in Colossians 3:12-17:
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Let’s all press on today and keep a sharp eye, so that we may look out for each other. And, whenever possible, let’s do acts of kindness to help one another and thus proclaim the love of Christ our Savior.
Based on a blog originally posted on Thursday, April 2, 2015
