Daily Manna · Day 33 · February 2
What to Wear
“Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;”
Paul writes this verse as if he were laying out clothes for the morning: "Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering."
It is a wardrobe, so it is worth walking through it one piece at a time. "Bowels of mercies" is a phrase about the body. It describes pity you feel in your gut, the kind of compassion you feel somewhere below the ribs. Kindness is the useful, everyday kind, and Scripture uses the same word for God's own goodness to people who never asked for it. Humbleness of mind was not counted a virtue in the Greek world. The word meant being low, like a servant, and Christians took it and gave it a new and honourable use. Meekness is strength with a bridle on it, like a strong horse that answers to the rein. Longsuffering means having a long temper, the opposite of a short fuse, and it is measured by how long it lasts. Then Paul adds two phrases that put the clothes to work: "Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another." Last of all comes charity, the old English word for love. Paul says to put it on "above all these things," and he calls it "the bond of perfectness," because it is the belt that holds everything else on.
Notice the word "therefore." It points back to the lines just above, where the old clothes come off: "anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication," and lying. You cannot put the new clothes on until you take the old ones off. Meekness will not fit over a temper you are still protecting.
Notice too who is being dressed: "the elect of God, holy and beloved." All three names are given to you before a single piece of clothing is mentioned. You dress like family because God has already made you part of the family. You are not trying out for a place at His table.
Maybe yesterday your kindness held until about four o'clock, and then a sharp tone came out of you at someone you will see again at breakfast. Ask yourself which piece you took off first, and when. Then put it back on, knowing that the God who chose you and loves you has not taken back the names He gave you.
Daily Manna runs on a two-year cycle. The year two reading for day 33 is Ye Shall Be Witnesses (Acts 1:8).