“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.” Colossians 3:12-13

The Gloves

My blood was boiling. I had just finished my shopping trip to the grocery store, in spite of all the restrictions brought on by COVID-19, when I saw the cart. Some other shopper had used gloves to shop in, and then peeled the gloves off and left them in the cart for someone else to pick up.

My righteous indignation arose, and my first impulse was to monitor all other shoppers so I could find someone else doing that and stop them. 

But then that voice in my head which I knew was the Helper, reminded me, “Bear with one another and forgive.”

I took a breath and reminded myself that people who are scared don’t think clearly, and this person was likely acting out of fear for their own health. Their thoughtless act wasn’t aimed at me, and I didn’t need to take it on. “If anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do” (verse 13).

Now, there is a time and place for speaking up. But do a quick search on the word “correct” in the Bible and you will find that most correction is to be done by God. I am not talking about sin here, but those times when you feel like those around you aren’t doing enough. Or perhaps you feel they are doing too much.

The people next door aren’t social distancing like you are? Put on tender mercies.

Your friends are taking unnecessary precautions and judging all who don’t follow suit? Put on kindness and meekness.

Someone re-posts misinformation and you just know you are right and they are wrong? Put on humility.

Tired of quarantining with those in your household or maybe tired of being alone? Put on longsuffering.

Remember who you are. You are chosen by God, beloved and set apart for His purposes. Let the little stuff go, bearing with one another. Rise above, forgiving one another. This verse is for all times, but especially now, when tensions are high, tempers are short, and everyone just wants to be done with this. Do as Christ did and forgive.

That’s what I did. If you were the person who left their gloves in the cart, I forgive you. 

God, thank You for forgiving me when I was wretched to You and thought only of myself. Remind me to do the same for others. Help me to bear with others during this time. In Jesus’ name, Amen.