Proverbs 3:3-4 (New American Standard)
3Do not let kindness* and truth** leave you;
Bind them around your neck,
Write them on the tablet of your heart.
4So you will find favor and good repute
In the sight of God and man.
Colossians 3:9-12 (New American Standard)
8 But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth.
9 Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices,
10 and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him--
11 a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.
12 So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;
13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.
14 Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.
15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.
16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
17 Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.
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My Thoughts:
With faithful constant attention, we need to be clothed in compassionate love and faithfulness to the truth (lack of hypocrisy). Then we will grow up, in this knowledge of God and be progressively renewed (changed by this love and knowledge) in the likeness of God (into His image). When we do so, we will find favor and a good reputation in the sight of God and men.
It is recorded for our notation that Jesus grew in knowledge and truth, and learned obedience, finding favor in the sight of God and men; so did Samuel. So also must we.
The favor that is present in our lives is a measuring stick of our dedicated attention to being and staying clothed at all times in the garments purchased for us by the blood of Christ, first of course taking off the old, then putting on the new, truth, compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Just like the fruit of the Spirit is a measuring stick to our abiding in Christ.
The wording of both of these scriptures indicate that this is a constant intentional effort, not just something we do once and walk away. I am reminded of days were I have an important meeting or an important guest at work. I will prepare early making sure my appearance is just so, but then I need to keep checking my appearance and maintaining it through out the day. i.e. Did I get crumbs on my clothes? I am wrinkled? Do I still look fresh, clean, with everything tucked in tightly and my hair still in it's place and my make up not worn off or smeared. In the same way, we awake and with careful attention clothe ourselves in the righteousness of Christ putting on the new things. As the day goes on we need to make sure that everything is in place and clean up/ wash away all the old nature junk that gets on us so very easily.
God will be pleased and I will be successful when, I do these things. (Prov 3:3-4 CEV)
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Proverbs 3:3-4 (Amplified Bible)
3 Let not mercy and kindness [shutting out all hatred and selfishness] and truth [shutting out all deliberate hypocrisy or falsehood] forsake you; bind them about your neck, write them upon the tablet of your heart.
4 So shall you find favor, good understanding, and high esteem in the sight [or judgment] of God and man.
Colossians 3:8-17 (Amplified Bible)
8 But now put away and rid yourselves [completely] of all these things: anger, rage, bad feeling toward others, curses and slander, and foulmouthed abuse and shameful utterances from your lips!
9 Do not lie to one another, for you have stripped off the old (unregenerate) self with its evil practices,
10 And have clothed yourselves with the new [spiritual self], which is [ever in the process of being] renewed and remolded into [fuller and more perfect knowledge upon] knowledge after the image (the likeness) of Him Who created it.
11 [In this new creation all distinctions vanish.] There is no room for and there can be neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, [nor difference between nations whether alien] barbarians or Scythians [who are the most savage of all], nor slave or free man; but Christ is all and in all [everything and everywhere, to all men, without distinction of person].
12 Clothe yourselves therefore, as God's own chosen ones (His own picked representatives), [who are] purified and holy and well-beloved [by God Himself, by putting on behavior marked by] tenderhearted pity and mercy, kind feeling, a lowly opinion of yourselves, gentle ways, [and] patience [which is tireless and long-suffering, and has the power to endure whatever comes, with good temper].
13 Be gentle and forbearing with one another and, if one has a difference (a grievance or complaint) against another, readily pardoning each other; even as the Lord has [freely] forgiven you, so must you also [forgive].
14 And above all these [put on] love and enfold yourselves with the bond of perfectness [which binds everything together completely in ideal harmony].
15 And let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from Christ rule (act as umpire continually) in your hearts [deciding and settling with finality all questions that arise in your minds, in that peaceful state] to which as [members of Christ's] one body you were also called [to live]. And be thankful (appreciative), [giving praise to God always].
16 Let the word [spoken by] Christ (the Messiah) have its home [in your hearts and minds] and dwell in you in [all its] richness, as you teach and admonish and train one another in all insight and intelligence and wisdom [in spiritual things, and as you sing] psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, making melody to God with [His] grace in your hearts.
17 And whatever you do [no matter what it is] in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus and in [dependence upon] His Person, giving praise to God the Father through Him.
*KINDNESS - Definition: goodness, kindness, faithfulness
**TRUTH - Definition: firmness, faithfulness, truth; sureness, reliability ; stability, continuance ; faithfulness, reliableness
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