Colossians - Part 14
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Colossians 3:12-17
Meeting Purpose
To discuss and reflect on biblical concepts of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience in daily life.
Key Takeaways
- Participants shared personal experiences of showing compassion and kindness, highlighting challenges and rewards
- The group explored biblical examples of gentleness, particularly focusing on Jesus' interactions
- Humility was discussed as a challenging but essential virtue, often developed through life experiences
- Patience was examined in various contexts, including parenting, work, and interpersonal relationships
Topics
Compassion and Kindness in Practice
o On partcipant shared a challenging experience showing compassion to his intellectually superior brother-in-law
o Another participant recounted taking custody of a 15-year-old girl after her mother's suicide, significantly impacting her life
o Discussion on the difficulty of showing kindness without expectation of thanks or recognition
Gentleness: Biblical Examples and Personal Reflections
- Participants identified Jesus' gentle treatment of various individuals in the Bible:
o Woman caught in adultery
o Woman with the issue of blood (called her "daughter")
o Welcoming children
o Touching and healing lepers
- Group noted gentleness as a rare quality in today's culture, contrasting with prevalent anger
- Reflection on how being treated gently brings peace and inspires reciprocation
Humility: Challenges and Growth Opportunities
o Defined as "lowliness" and an "inside-out virtue" produced by comparing oneself to God
o Participants shared personal experiences of humbling moments:
§ Learning from children
§ Realizing the impact of anger on family
§ Not receiving thanks for acts of kindness
o Discussion on why humility is often resisted: pride, difficulty admitting wrongness
o Identified opportunities for growth in humility: asking for help, parenting, work situations
Patience and Long-suffering
o Explored the concept of being "long-tempered" as opposed to short-tempered
o Discussed how identity in Christ (e.g., being seen as righteous) can help with patience
o Identified challenging situations requiring patience:
§ Parenting
§ Work environments (supervisors, demands)
§ Military training (OCS, TBS)
§ Teaching (lunch duty with over 100 students)
o Differentiated between patience and "bearing with one another," noting that patience involves a more loving attitude
Next Steps
- Continue to practice and reflect on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience in daily life
- Apply insights gained from biblical examples, particularly Jesus' interactions
- Be mindful of opportunities to grow in these virtues, especially in challenging situations
- Pray for patience and the ability to bear with one another in loveTo discuss and reflect on Christian virtues, particularly compassion and kindness, as outlined in Colossians 3:12-14.