January 20, 2026
Do not lie to one another since you have put off the old man with its practices and have been clothed with the new man that is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of the one who created it. Here there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all and in all.
Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with a heart of mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if someone happens to have a complaint against anyone else. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also forgive others. And to all these virtues add love, which is the perfect bond. Let the peace of Christ be in control in your heart (for you were in fact called as one body to this peace), and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and exhorting one another with all wisdom, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, all with grace in your hearts to God. And whatever you do in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Colossians 3:9-17 (NET)
During my morning reflections on the book of Exodus, I have reached the point in the story where I most often glaze over. All the cinematic excitement of the first 18 chapters is past. Now I am slogging through the extended descriptions of the Sinai law code, the instructions regarding the tabernacle, and the sacrifices. But with the help of Dr. Christopher Wright’s commentary (The Story of God Bible Commentary: Exodus, Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2021), I have found this part of the Exodus narrative more meaningful than before. Perhaps the “big idea” to be remembered and embraced is that Yahweh, the God who delivered his people from oppression and slavery, now wants to make them into his people who look and act like him in the world. That’s what all the laws and liturgical codes were ultimately about.
I was particularly struck by the description of the priests’ clothing as they were consecrated to serve in the tabernacle (Ex. 29). Everything on their bodies meant something: they bore the names of the Israelite tribes on both their shoulders and by their hearts, as they offered sacrifices and prayed to the Lord on the people’s behalf. They would put the blood of sacrifice on their right earlobes, right thumbs, and right toes. Wright suggests that this action consecrated their whole person to their priestly role and dedicated their obedience (hearing), doing (hands), and walking (feet) to God (p. 525). This is just a sampling of the significance of the priestly dress.
I’ve read this passage from Colossians 3 many times in my study of leadership over the past 10 years. The language of putting off and putting on echoes the Levitical priest who would take off unclean clothes and put on holy, consecrated garments before serving in the tabernacle. We are a holy people, dearly loved by the same God, Yahweh, who delivered the Israelites from slavery and oppression. He has saved us from all that makes us unclean: immorality, impurity, greed, anger, rage, malice, and all other qualities that divide and destroy God’s people and their community of peace. Now, he invites us to put on our sacred garment, the Lord Jesus himself, as he renews us in the image of our Creator. He is restoring our priestly calling to reflect him in this world as his image of compassion, mercy, kindness, and love.
How would our leadership look if we understood the priestly robe we wear in all aspects of life? Imagine what our teams would be like if we led with love, humility, charity, kindness, gentleness, mercy, forgiveness, and gratitude. What if we let the Word of Christ shape our way of thinking and relating as leaders? You won’t find this in the best leadership textbooks, but it is ancient wisdom. Christian leadership is a reflection of the glory of God in whose image we were made and to whose mission we have been called.
