在紐約的一條街上，一名年長男子正在慢跑，突然他注意到有一名流浪漢坐在街邊，身邊擺著求助紙板和一雙破舊的球鞋。他停了下來，當他發現那雙破鞋與自己腳上的鞋尺碼相仿時，他對那名流浪漢說：「我一生都很蒙福。上帝一直恩待我，所以我也想祝福你。」於是他脫下自己的鞋子（連同襪子！），送給那名比他年輕的流浪漢，然後赤腳走路回家。

正如這位年長男子因蒙上帝的恩待而以恩慈待人一樣，相信耶穌的人也當因蒙上帝所愛而「要穿上⋯⋯恩慈」（歌羅西書3章12節，和合本修訂版）。實際上，無論我們做什麼或說什麼，都應該「像主耶穌的代表」（17節，新普及譯本）。而除了恩慈之外，我們也要體現出「憐憫」、「謙虛、溫柔和忍耐」（12節）。聖靈內住在我們心中，使聖靈的果子（加拉太書5章22-23節）在我們生命中成長，這果子透過我們將上帝的愛流淌到他人身上，使所有美德「完美地聯合在一起」（歌羅西書3章14節，當代譯本修訂版）。

願我們也能像這位年長男子一樣，細心留意並把握機會，以恩慈待人，也許是一句鼓勵的話、一個貼心的舉動，甚或是把腳上的鞋脫下來送給有需要的人。當我們這樣做的時候，便能使人認識耶穌（17節）。

An older man jogging down a street in New York City stopped in his tracks when he noticed a pair of battered sneakers placed near a homeless man’s sign requesting help. When the jogger learned that the two men wore a similar size, he gave the younger, homeless man the shoes (and socks!) off his feet and walked home barefoot. But not before explaining, “I’ve been blessed my whole life. God has been very good to me, so I feel like I should bless you too.”

Just as this man showed kindness to another because God had been good to him, so too believers in Jesus are called to “clothe [our]selves with . . . kindness” (Colossians 3:12). In fact, in whatever we do or say, we’re to do it as “a representative of the Lord Jesus” (v. 17 nlt). Along with kindness, we’re also to embody the characteristics of “compassion, . . . humility, gentleness and patience” (v. 12). The fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) grows in us because we have the Spirit dwelling inside us; and this fruit is evidenced by God’s love for us flowing out to others—binding all these virtues “together in perfect unity” (Colossians 3:14).

Like the jogger, may we be on alert for opportunities to be kind—an encouraging word, a thoughtful act, or even giving the shoes off our feet—and as we do, let’s point to Jesus (v. 17).