As I walked along the coast of South Carolina, I gazed out at the boundless waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Delighting in the sunrise, and still giddy from a close view of jumping dolphins moments before, I thought about how calm the ocean seemed. The dark blue waves could have been churning a lifeless pool of water, from my limited view. Yet beneath the surface, we know that we would find an ocean ecosystem unseen from my vantage point, and that we would find the hidden marine life vast and innumerable.
Paul wrote a letter to the Colossians, and in chapter 3:12-17, he wrote:
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.
And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
~ Colossians 3:12-17
Most of us have heard the analogy about spilling coffee:
You’re walking down a street, holding a cup of coffee. Someone bumps into you.
Why did you spill coffee?
Your first reaction might be, “Because someone bumped into me!” But that is not why you spilled coffee.
It is because your cup was filled with coffee. If it had been filled with tea, you would have spilled tea.
This is a metaphor for what we are brewing beneath the surface… under the “mask” we sometimes wear. If we are harboring anger or resentment, uncontrolled anger and punishing judgement will spill out when someone “bumps” into us. If we are making an idol of our own gratification, self-centeredness and blame will spill and burn the unlucky pedestrians who interfere with our pursuit of happiness.
However, if we have a true thanksgiving for grace given to us by our Savior, mercy and forgiveness will flow when life events shake us. This thanksgiving is not surface, but rather a weighty gratefulness, a daily renewal of awe that my debt was paid by Jesus with His sacrifice. This understanding reveals itself when someone hurts me. My grace-filled response is a recognition that I have been guilty of so many things, and with a close memory of God’s forgiveness to me, I readily extend grace to others. Humility drives this change to the depths of our being, thanks to the steadfast love of our God.
The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases, His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
~ Lamentations 3:22-23
When my life is hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3)… the depths of my heart will reveal:
A compassionate heart.
Kindness.
Humility.
Meekness.
Patience.
Bearing with one another.
Forgiving as the Lord forgives.
Brimming over with love.
As the deep waters of the ocean are governed by aquatic life… our innermost hearts must be ruled with the peace of Christ. Letting God’s Word live within us, we will teach and admonish each other with wisdom and thankful hearts. Every thing we do, we will do in Jesus’ name, giving thanks to God through Jesus. With trust in Him and His everlasting love, we will mirror His love for all made in His image. Through our love for each other, God will bind us together in His own perfect harmony, composing a song that our souls hear beneath the surface for now, but will one day boldly sing together in heaven, in His presence.
Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; His love endures forever.
~ Psalm 107:1