Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. —Col. 3:12–15
Clothed in Virtue
Second Corinthians 5:17 summarizes the message of the gospel: “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” The apostle Paul helps us grasp the transformation that happens when we are united to Jesus in faith. We don’t simply become better versions of ourselves—we become altogether new people, “created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness” (Eph. 4:24).
In Colossians 3, Paul provides practical instruction concerning what our new selves look like. He uses the language of putting on characteristics and virtues that are modeled after Jesus. “Put on” is a phrase Paul uses often—15 times, to be exact—throughout his writings. In addition to the usage we see here, he also speaks of “putting on the Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 13:14) and putting on the armor of God (Eph. 6:11).
The idea is the same in each instance: the concept of putting something on instantly calls to mind clothing. Our clothing is front and center and obvious—it’s one of the first things people notice about us, and we wouldn’t go anywhere without it! Paul tells us to put on the traits listed in Colossians 3 to communicate the all-encompassing nature of our new identities: we should dress ourselves in these virtues in the same way we cover ourselves with physical garments.
This ESV Prayer Journal will guide you in a study on humility over 6 weeks, creating space for writing and praying about how to develop a heart and mind free of pride and self-importance.
What Does It Mean to Be Humble?
One of the attributes listed is humility (Col. 3:12). Biblical humility can be understood as a posture of the heart and mind that is characterized by the absence of pride and a commitment to the well-being of others. A humble person recognizes his dependence on the Lord, and he willingly submits to God’s way over his own. Humility is simultaneously the hardest and one of the most fundamental Christian virtues we are called to master.
The reason humility is difficult for us is because it runs completely counter to our sin nature, which insists that our focus should be primarily, if not exclusively, on our own happiness. But as we see in Philippians 2:3–4, the Bible’s teaching on humility focuses on putting others’ needs above our own:
“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
To do this consistently—to wear humility like a piece of clothing that we wouldn’t leave home without—Jesus must first transform us and give us a heart that is both God and others-focused. And even after we are redeemed, we will need the Spirit’s constant help to think of others as “more significant” than ourselves. Humility is a distinctly Christian attribute. We simply cannot get there on our own.
Why Is Humility So Important?
After we are instructed to put on the characteristics listed in Colossians 3, Paul continues to describe how we are to conduct ourselves as followers of Jesus. We are to bear with one another and be quick to forgive: “as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive” (Col. 3:13). If we’ve taken the time to read that verse carefully, this is the point at which we shift uncomfortably in our seats. It’s easy to gloss over the command to bear with and forgive each other. But if we think about what this verse requires of us—especially if we are in a situation where we have someone we need to forgive—we can’t avoid the reality that forgiveness is hard. Where do we even begin?
Putting on the qualities listed in verse 12—humility, in particular—equips us to fulfill the command of verse 13. The first step in being able to bear with someone who is irritating us, or to forgive someone who has hurt us deeply, is to consider them as more than significant than ourselves.
Like Paul, Peter understands humility as something that we must dress ourselves in. Addressing both elders (leaders) and “those who are younger,” he instructs the entire church to “Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another” (1 Pet. 5:5). As the body of Christ, we are to be marked, corporately, by peace and unity (Eph. 4:1–3; 1 Pet. 3:8). This can only happen when we are all looking out for one another, eager to “outdo one another in showing honor” (Rom. 12:10).
Humility is a distinctly Christian attribute. We simply cannot get there on our own.
Such a community is, once again, distinctly Christian. It stands in stark contrast to anything the world has to offer. And as such, it points to the only One who can make such a mindset and state of being possible. Just as humility equips us to forgive our brothers and sisters, it also empowers us to love one another in the way the Lord demands, and in such a way that glorifies him:
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” —John 12:34–35
Humility and love are closely related concepts. By putting on the former, we can also more readily clothe ourselves in the latter.
How Do We Go About Putting on Humility?
Step one of putting on humility is an act of humility in and of itself—we must recognize both the necessity of being humble and the challenge it is to get there. We then turn to God and ask for his help. Humility pleases the Lord. We can trust that he takes delight in making sure this is the type of clothes his kids are wearing!
We also grow in humility by studying and meditating on God’s Word, especially those passages (and there are many) that focus on this topic. Colossians 3 is a wonderful place to start, as is Philippians 2:1–11. Because humility is central to being a believer, we never run the risk of running out of passages that address it.
One way to practice putting on humility is to make common, day-to-day scenarios an opportunity to pray for humility and to work on memorizing verses that reorient us toward caring for other people rather than demanding our own way. Who of us doesn’t get frustrated—sometimes irrationally angry—when behind the wheel of a car, or when waiting in a long line at the grocery store? Rather than giving in to the temptation to grumble and vent, make it a habit to pray each time you are in one of these situations. Meditate on one of the verses referenced in this article, or others that the Spirit brings to mind. Be intentional about putting on humility.
Putting on humility is not a one-time act but a daily commitment to honest dependence on the Lord, who loves clothing his children in grace. When we clothe ourselves in the humility of Christ, we not only become equipped to forgive and love as he commands, but we display to a watching world the beauty of a life transformed by the gospel.
Erika Allen is the author of the ESV Prayer Journal: Eight-Volume Set.
