For I want you to know how great a struggle I have on your behalf and for those who are at Laodicea, and for all those who have not personally seen my face that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God's mystery, that is, Christ Himself...
Colossians 2:1,2
Colossians 2:1,2
My little bad hair day yesterday didn't happen for nothing. Truth be told, God rarely wastes any time giving me tangible examples in dealing with me. I'm extremely visual and He knows it!! My morning Colossians Bible study focused on the beginning of chapter two and my friend, who is the leader, brought in a beautiful piece of knitting. I was clearly focused on this thing for most of the study because, well, I'm visual, and it conjured up many images for me about life as a Christian.
Why are we, as Christians, called to be knit together in love? That was the question, and many answers spewed forth: we are commanded to love, God loved us first, love is what binds us together. Then we asked what is it we need to do to love? This one was a little more abstract, mostly in the sense that we had some really good tangible examples - phone calls, babysitting, making meals, notes of encouragement.... Yup, all good, all phenomenal to others outside of our closeknit group, but what about when it's hard to love? My friend made mention of one of the most important elements of love and I have to admit, it passed by pretty quickly because let's face it, it's hard. Her suggestion was forgiveness.
When I sit in small Bible study groups among my Christian friends I always have these nagging thoughts centered around what the world thinks of us. What is the image that we portray to the world, not only by the way we look when we are together or apart, but by our actions? As I sat yesterday in the seat of torture at the hair cuttery, this thought was not lost on me. The idea of forgiveness also came to mind! I'm not saying I'll go back for round two, but I was thinking that I don't want to be the stitch that is different, that doesn't love or forgive and just makes the rest of the work look like it was in vain!
There are so many ways we can interpret this idea of being knit together in love, but what it means for me is that I have an important part in the fabric that reflects the love of my Savior to His world. I have a responsibility to keep that stitch intact, to remain strong in my relationships within the body and in focus on our reason for existing. We could say it's our love that separates us from the world, but really it's how we act out of love that does. Having access to a body knit in love makes the burden lighter. It's what people see, sometimes their first image of the love of Christ. It's important.
As for forgiveness, one might suggest this idea is many times what causes those outside our closely knit tapestry of believers to step back when they encounter us. It's funny how we expect others to extend it to us, but we aren't always quick to practice it where other's iniquities are involved. How Christ so easily extends forgiveness to us is such a mystery to me, but I want to be able to do the same.
So, what was He trying to show me at Hair Cuttery? Maybe that one out-of-place stitch can destroy the purpose of something, but that would be pretty unlikely. Instead, it's more likely that He was showing me how important it can be to draw in one out-of-place stitch in an act of His love. It can turn that stitch into something beautiful. I saw that on her face when I handed her a tip in front of all the other watchful hair dressers. Their look of utter shock was not lost on me, and it certainly wasn't lost on Him! Practice love, practice forgiveness.
Why are we, as Christians, called to be knit together in love? That was the question, and many answers spewed forth: we are commanded to love, God loved us first, love is what binds us together. Then we asked what is it we need to do to love? This one was a little more abstract, mostly in the sense that we had some really good tangible examples - phone calls, babysitting, making meals, notes of encouragement.... Yup, all good, all phenomenal to others outside of our closeknit group, but what about when it's hard to love? My friend made mention of one of the most important elements of love and I have to admit, it passed by pretty quickly because let's face it, it's hard. Her suggestion was forgiveness.
When I sit in small Bible study groups among my Christian friends I always have these nagging thoughts centered around what the world thinks of us. What is the image that we portray to the world, not only by the way we look when we are together or apart, but by our actions? As I sat yesterday in the seat of torture at the hair cuttery, this thought was not lost on me. The idea of forgiveness also came to mind! I'm not saying I'll go back for round two, but I was thinking that I don't want to be the stitch that is different, that doesn't love or forgive and just makes the rest of the work look like it was in vain!
There are so many ways we can interpret this idea of being knit together in love, but what it means for me is that I have an important part in the fabric that reflects the love of my Savior to His world. I have a responsibility to keep that stitch intact, to remain strong in my relationships within the body and in focus on our reason for existing. We could say it's our love that separates us from the world, but really it's how we act out of love that does. Having access to a body knit in love makes the burden lighter. It's what people see, sometimes their first image of the love of Christ. It's important.
As for forgiveness, one might suggest this idea is many times what causes those outside our closely knit tapestry of believers to step back when they encounter us. It's funny how we expect others to extend it to us, but we aren't always quick to practice it where other's iniquities are involved. How Christ so easily extends forgiveness to us is such a mystery to me, but I want to be able to do the same.
So, what was He trying to show me at Hair Cuttery? Maybe that one out-of-place stitch can destroy the purpose of something, but that would be pretty unlikely. Instead, it's more likely that He was showing me how important it can be to draw in one out-of-place stitch in an act of His love. It can turn that stitch into something beautiful. I saw that on her face when I handed her a tip in front of all the other watchful hair dressers. Their look of utter shock was not lost on me, and it certainly wasn't lost on Him! Practice love, practice forgiveness.
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