24 Aug September 3 Daily Devotional

A SERIES OF DEVOTIONS BASED ON PAUL’S LETTER TO THE COLOSSIANS

VIRTUES

Colossians 3:12 “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”

You do not use the word virtue in your normal conversation.  In fact, it may have been a long time since you read this word or heard someone use it.  In case this is true, to refresh your memory, the dictionary defines virtue as “a quality that is considered morally good or desirable.”  Today’s devotional verse lists five virtues.  There are a total of nine found in the Hoy Scriptures:  love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Christian Website.com)

One does not have to be a Christian to be virtuous.  One or more of these nine virtues is found in most all people.  Colossians 3:12 is an exhortation to Christians (God’s chosen people) to live a virtuous life.  As a Christian your virtues flow out of the love you have received from God through Jesus:  “Even as I have loved you, love one another.” (John 13:34-35)  It is Jesus’ love for you that is foundational to all of the nine virtues listed above.

As Sunday’s devotion reminded you, you have been “rehabbed,” or recreated to be a new person through the faith you have been given in Christ Jesus.  It is He who fills your heart and being.  That said, this means He is the source of your virtue. . . your good qualities because you have been chosen, as today’s verse says, to literally be “clothed” in His virtues which become your very own.

2 Corinthians 5:20 reminds you that you are an ambassador for Christ.  This means He has chosen you to represent Him to your family, neighbors, friends, community, and strangers.  You speak His words to them.  Your actions toward them are a reflection of how Jesus Himself would interact with them.  After all, “it is no longer you who live, but Christ who lives in you.” (Galatians 2:20)

Prayer:  Holy Spirit  fill me with the virtues of Jesus.  In His name.  Amen.

Where charity and love prevail There God is ever found;

Brought here together by Christ’s love By love are we thus bound.

With grateful joy and holy fear His charity we learn;

Let us with heart and mind and soul Now love Him in return.

Forgive we now each other’s faults As we our faults confess,

And let us love each other well In Christian holiness.

Let strife among us be unknown; Let all contention cease;

Be God’s the glory that we seek; Be ours His holy peace.

Let us recall that in our midst Dwells Christ, His only Son;

As members of His body joined We are in Him made one.

For love excludes no race or clan That names the Savior’s name;

His family embraces all Whose Father is the same.

(LSB 845)