Put On Tender Mercies

Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Colossians 3:12-17

God has entrusted each of us with influence in the lives of others. We have a deep responsibility in those relationships, not only to spouses and children, but to friends, employees, and customers. The temptation is to press too hard, to demand too much, to force progress, or to orchestrate success and that can lead us to harm others even when we don’t realize it. For this very reason, followers of Christ are urged to be patient and gentle with one another. Since Jesus, the Son of God, came in humility, how can we withhold such kindness from one another?

What God does for us we should do for others.

Our Daily Bread – August 30, 2016