Rid
When I was in college, an enterprising friend of mine invented a Clorox-based spray product for the elimination of destructive mold which would invariably emerge in the dampness and of bathrooms. It was called “Ridd”, an extra “d”ed version of the verb “rid.” “Rid“…what an odd word. When I click onto my computer’s thesaurus it tells me synonyms for “rid” include “liberate, purge, free, divest, do away with.” I connect with those words a lot better than the word that odd word “rid”.
I connect very much, however, with Paul’s concern that we “rid” ourselves of all such things as anger, rage, malice, slander and filthy language. During seasons of stress, pressure, loss and change certain attitudes seem to percolate in our forgiven, but un-glorified hearts, then seep through the pores of our body language, finally taking the shape and sound of syllables in our thoughts, then our interactions, resulting in unnecessary hurt and harm. How I wish a few squirts of a Clorox-based product would rid my heart of all such attitudes.
How can we increasingly “liberate, purge, free, divest and do away with” all such much-worse-than-mold attitudes? Paul gives us the answer in the opening words of Colossians 3…
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. (Col. 3:1-4).
Clorox might get rid of mold, but only the gospel can change our hearts.