How often do you wear clothes? Hopefully, your answer is every day.

Paul says to “clothe yourselves” with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. That’s an interesting picture. Why compare these qualities to clothing? Maybe because getting dressed is intentional. Your clothes don’t magically appear on your body every morning. You choose them and put them on. And when they get dirty, you don’t say, “Well, I guess I’m done wearing clothes forever.” You clean them and put them on again. Practicing mercy works a little like that.

Every morning – and sometimes several times before lunch – we have to choose what we’re going to wear into our relationships. Compassion or indifference? Kindness or harshness? Humility or pride? Gentleness or anger? Patience or irritation?

Here’s the uncomfortable question: Which of these qualities is hardest for you to “put on” when you’re frustrated, disappointed, or hurt?

It’s easy to wear these qualities around people who are easy to love. The real test comes when someone inconveniences us, disappoints us, disagrees with us, or gets on our last and final nerve.

That’s when we discover what we’re really wearing.

Final Thought: Before you walk out the door today, don’t just get dressed. Choose to wear the kindness and mercy of Jesus.