What Would You Like for Dinner?
When I pastored in Manassas, our congregation was privileged to have a church chef. He not only cooked for our church, but also worked as a full-time cook for a local nursing home. One day I dropped by to see where he worked and watched him go from room to room asking what the patients wanted to eat. It was amazing! They had all kinds of requests. Some wanted things that were easy to fix, and others wanted things that were more difficult. I remember one who wanted shrimp and grits. Our chef went back to his kitchen and fixed everyone’s favorite dish. Now when you’re in a nursing home and someone comes by and fixes you exactly what you want for dinner, you know you’re loved!
When we show compassion and kindness, like this chef, we reflect our God who is “gracious and compassionate…and rich in love” (Psalm 145:8). This is why the apostle Paul urged us, as God’s people, to “clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience” (Colossians 3:12). Because God has shown great compassion to us, we need to share compassion with others. When we share this compassion with others, we are concretely showing that we love them, and by sharing this, we show others the love of God.
In Colossians 3, Paul reminded his readers of their status as a people chosen by God (v. 12). Since we have a reconciled relationship with God, we’re to be in healthy relationships with each other. Paul told us to put on the virtues listed as we would literal garments (3:12-14). Our relationship with God should lead us to extend compassion, kindness and patience to all those around us. This means that we will “bear with each other” when conflicts and misunderstandings arise (v. 13). We can’t put on these virtues without love, “which binds them all together in perfect unity” (v. 14).
We need to remember that all good things come from God, and when we’re kind to others, our spirits are lifted. Remember the example of this chef going from room to room asking what patients wanted for dinner. When we seek to love those around us, we’ll be bound together in perfect unity.
Prayer – Jesus, thank you for showing me unlimited kindness. Help me to find joy in doing kind acts for others. Amen.
Colossians 3:12 – “Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”
By the Rev. Tommy Herndon
Images: Dana Devolk, Adam Nemeroff & Jon Tyson, courtesy of Unsplash