Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Colossians 3:12
“The bishop should avoid being familiar, and should not give too much confidence to any one of his subjects, so as not to be deceived by him nor criticized by others; but, on the other hand, he should hear and treat every one with the greatest kindness. He is a father, and lie should treat his subjects as his children, and not as his servants.”
Alphonsus de Liguori (1696-1787) in The Complete Works of Saint Alphonsus de Liguori, translated from the Italian, edited by Rev. Eugene Grimm (New York: Benzinger, 1890) 469.
What a great word picture for each of us from the apostle Paul. Imagine you get dressed with shirt, underwear, pants, sox, shoes, and maybe a sweater. In the same way we put on compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.
As overseers of homes, churches, and/or ministries we get to treat everyone with the greatest kindness. We don’t Lord over them as servants but treat subjects as children. In that light our aim is their growth and self-sufficiency.
Many create dependency in their homes, churches, and/or ministries instead. Because of their own weak character issues, they want their subjects to depend on them, need them rather than launch from them as fruitful disciples.
How can you in your home, church, or ministry show the greatest kindness to your subjects? What might need to change to avoid dependency, treating them children with the goal of helping them grow to maturity as fruitful disciples?
Thanks for your continued prayers for me. I am back in Islamabad, Pakistan, and wrapping up a very trip that has had a range of great opposition and tremendous victory. But it’s not over yet.