What does Colossians 3:14 mean?

In 1 Corinthians, Paul called love the "more excellent way" (1 Corinthians 12:31). Here, he echoes this teaching, stating that love is the most important positive attribute to display. For Paul, love is the supreme attribute. Love supersedes all other attitudes. Paul has already mentioned love on three earlier occasions in this letter (Colossians 1:4, 8; 2:2) and he will mention it again in Colossians 3:19.

From Paul's perspective, love brings people together and makes their differences compatible. This is what "harmony" means: the positive combination of things which are not exactly the same. This does not mean believers are perfect or do not make mistakes. Instead, just as an orchestra or band must play together to make a pleasant sound, love is the song that believers must all play in order to work together in harmony.

We are given many spiritual gifts when we accept Christ as our Savior. According to Scripture, "the greatest of these is love" (1 Corinthians 13:13). First Peter 4:8 adds, "Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins."