Clothed with Compassion

Discipleship Devotional, February 13th, 2025

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

As a Christian, if you realize that you lack compassion, it is something worth praying about. In the early church, compassion and kindness were crucial indicators of a genuine Christian. Being Christ-like is an essential aspect of being a Christian, and one notable characteristic of Christ’s earthly ministry was his compassion. The Bible speaks of his compassion for the people in various places.

Therefore, if we claim to have received his life and his Spirit, the same compassion that was evident in him should also be evident in us. This is why I mentioned the importance of praying if you find yourself lacking in compassion and having a hardened heart. A lack of affection is an attitude often associated with unsaved and unregenerate individuals.

“For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good.”
– 2 Timothy 3:2-3 (KJV)

I love the fact that the Apostle Paul instructed the Colossian church to clothe themselves with compassion and kindness. This tells us that it is possible to cultivate these fruits. That’s why I always say that there’s no fruit of the Spirit that cannot be learned. As believers, since we have received the nature of God, our responsibility is to work out what God has worked in us.

“Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.”
– Philippians 2:12-13 (KJV)

Today, we are admonished to work out the compassion that God has worked in us.

Prayer:

Help me, Holy Spirit, to become more compassionate and kind, like Jesus.