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. Colossians 3:13
Paul continues describing the traits of the true Christian. Of all people, a true believer has the ability to bear with otherwise intolerable people. The Greek word anechomai is a compound word meaning to “hold up.” It’s said that he or she held up well against this or that. We may need to take a few blows to defend the faith or to respond to the incorrigible in love. Our model is Christ, who had to bear with Peter’s wild swings (Matthew 16:16,22-23) and Philip’s inability to see the forest from the trees (John 14:8), and the constant attacks of the very people he’d come to save.
The Greek word chosen by Paul for “forgiving” is charizomai, which essentially means to “graciously confer.” Our natural reaction to something or someone we don’t like is certainly not to give anything of value to it or them. We don’t like a decision made by others and we silently protest it by withholding our contribution of time or money, or we withhold a compliment that’s actually due because we are jealous or harbor a grudge. Only Christ can expose us to the long game of working through the things we don’t like or an offense against us. If we seek his strength to resolve differences, mediate disputes, or remove the burrs in our saddles, he will provide it. Of all people, we should be peacemakers, which always requires forgiveness. These are the ones who are called “sons of God.” (Matthew 5:9)
And we should never lose sight of the forgiveness extended to us. This is our constant reminder that we need to at least try to “turn the other cheek,” while at the same time clearly establishing the rules by which we play. There but by the grace of God go I. What we do is not for their own good, but ours. We want to be those in whom there is no “guile” or “deceit.” (Nathanael, John 1:47)
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