Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

This whole section is enormously practical. Rather than esoteric discussions of theology and philosophy, it deals with our daily lives. From verse 5 it talks about some of the negative things we are to avoid, but, contrary to some people’s impression of it, Christian faith is not all about prohibitions. As this verse makes clear, it replaces the negatives the devil and our flesh press on us with the positives our loving heavenly Father has prepared for us. As this verse expressly says, this applies to both speech and action. It is very jarring to hear someone who seems to be a committed Christian use the debased language that is all too common in the world. We may think it gives our words impact, but it’s the wrong impact! Likewise, it’s not just a matter of words. James’ whole letter focuses on integrity, which, as the Japanese term for it makes explicit, means agreement between words and actions. This point of integrity comes up many times in the New Testament, and it is likewise mentioned in the Old. What we say is very important, but our actions need to line up with our words. A phrase Paul uses here is often glossed over in modern society, and that is, “in the name of.” That doesn’t mean tacking a person’s name onto whatever we are saying or doing, it means being in agreement or harmony with that person as we say or do whatever it is. Paul is saying here that every aspect of our lives is to be a reflection of Jesus, accurately expressing His character and will. That is indeed an incredibly high standard, but by His grace it is possible.

I am growing in this. I wish I could say I do it perfectly, but I’m certainly not there yet. Some people might question whether my puns fit into this, but I take comfort in the fact that Jesus used puns, too! Of far more importance is the fact that I am all too capable of getting angry, and it’s not always at things that make God angry. Sunday I got very upset, thinking that a song translation I’ve done might not have been mine in the first place, but rather just a memory from my childhood. As best I can determine that’s not the case, but the Lord used that experience to teach me that my legacy isn’t the things I’ve done, but rather the people I’ve touched. That’s not an easy lesson to learn! Having been raised by a father who held absolute honesty as one of his core principles helps make integrity come more naturally to me, but I’m far from perfection. I need to ask and allow the Holy Spirit to keep watch, guiding me in the right path and showing me when and how I trip up, so that I may more and more accurately reflect my Lord Jesus, just as this verse says.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Help me indeed do everything in the name of Jesus, not as performative but because I really am in agreement with Him by Your Spirit, so that all of Your plans for me may be fulfilled, for Your pleasure and glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!