Attitude Adjustment

“Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.” — Colossians 3:13 (NRSVUE) 

Back when I was in elementary school — and no, dinosaurs were not roaming the earth, that ended shortly before — I was a pretty good kid, but very chatty. My first‑grade report card makes that abundantly clear. Every now and then, my teacher would separate me from the rest of the class — maybe a corner, maybe the hallway; the details are fuzzy. I’m guessing it was a corner, because otherwise I’d just talk to any passerby in the hall.

But looking back, I realize what she was really giving me was time for an attitude adjustment — a moment to remember that she was there to teach, the other students were there to learn, and I needed to get myself back into the right frame of mind before rejoining the group. 

Paul’s words in Colossians carry that same spirit. Before he speaks about forgiveness, he speaks about posture — about the inner attitude that makes forgiveness possible. “Bear with one another,” he writes. And the Greek word he uses, anechomenoi, means far more than simply “put up with each other.” It’s the word for holding up a weight, enduring with patience, remaining steady in relationship even when it’s difficult.

Paul is inviting us to see each other not as irritations to be tolerated but as fellow pilgrims carrying the weight of life. When we begin with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, we find we can “bear up” under each other’s humanity. We remember that everyone is carrying something — a worry, a wound, a story we don’t fully know.

And when we bear with one another in that way, forgiveness becomes not an obligation but a natural extension of grace. Paul says, “If anyone has a complaint…” — and of course we do. Life together guarantees friction. But forgiveness grows best in soil that has already been softened by compassion. It is easier to forgive when we have already chosen to stay steady with one another, to hold each other up, to remain committed to the shared journey.

Just as my teacher gave me a moment to reset my attitude before rejoining the class, Paul gives us a moment to reset our spiritual posture. He reminds us that Christ has already forgiven us — fully, freely, generously. And that forgiveness becomes the pattern for how we treat one another. We forgive because we have been forgiven. We bear with one another because Christ bears with us.

Most of us don’t get sent to the hallway anymore—I hope—but life still gives us moments when we need an attitude adjustment—moments to pause, breathe, and remember who we are and whose we are. When we choose compassion first, forgiveness becomes possible. When we bear with one another, community becomes stronger. And when we remember Christ’s forgiveness, our hearts become more open to offering that same grace to others.

Gracious God, adjust our attitudes today. Soften our hearts with compassion and kindness. Give us patience to bear with one another, especially when relationships feel heavy or strained. Remind us of the forgiveness we have received from Christ, and help us extend that same grace to those around us. Shape our posture, steady our spirits, and guide us in the way of love. Amen.

Grace & Peace, Pastor Tim