Clothed in Love

My friend Marie had worked for a company for many years. She was efficient and well liked, and her work was impeccable. However, her position was given to the niece of a new board member, and Marie had no choice but to pack up and leave. Before she left, however, Marie cleaned up her computer files and made them accessible to the new employee.

She dusted and cleaned her bookshelves, and left leaving pens and newly sharpened pencils in a colourful desk-tidy. She made a short guidebook of helpful hints for the new worker and on her last day she thanked the people who had given her the job initially.

‘But why would you do that for them when they let you go for no reason?’ I questioned. ‘I am going to leave as a Christian,’ she said. ‘I want my name to be associated with kindness and to show the love I always felt at doing my job.’

In his letter to the Colossians, Paul speaks of the ‘clothes’ that followers of Christ are to wear: compassion, kindness, humility, forgiveness and love, with love being ‘above all’. Marie left her place of employment with kindness. She was wearing all the right ‘clothes’ and showed us the power of forgiveness and of Christ’s love.

Prayer: Creator God, even in adverse circumstances, help us to share your love and grace with everyone around us. Amen