Monday, November 23, 2015

Dress Like Jesus

I want the Church to be like this....

12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 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.

Apparently Paul wanted this for us too. He is telling us what to wear here. Spiritual clothes that tell the world who we are. We are to wear compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Christian, are these things in your wardrobe? If so, make sure you wear them. Many in the world believe we do not have these things or that we only practice them on Sunday when we are with each other. There may be some truth to this 'eh? Maybe?

The outer garment though, is the most important. It's the one everybody will see first. Love. It pulls the ensemble together in a way that makes it impossible for us to look bad. It makes us a spiritual fashion plates. If we are dressed as Paul suggests, we will set fashion trends in a way that will change our churches and change the world.

So, the way you dress makes a big difference doesn't it? Further to the point however, these spiritual clothes need to be a part of who we are. We need to wear them every day so people will know. After a while, they may look care worn and used, but that's the way Jesus wants them to look. They are designed for the toughest weather and the harshest environments. If you put these on, you will never need another set of clothes again. The best part is, if your  compassion is becoming thread bare or your gentleness has holes, Jesus will patch them for you. You will always look presentable.      

Dressing like this can bring peace. You never have to worry about what you are going to wear. Be grateful for these eternal clothes. They are of the best textiles. When you look this good, you will always have a song in your heart and His Word in your mind. Everything you do will be dedicated to Him.

So Christian, if you are just getting dressed this morning, look in that closet again. Put on the clothes Jesus gave you before you go out among them. You will look good and feel great. You might also impress someone that will wonder where you got those wonderful garments. If they ask, bring them to the store next Sunday. It's a great shopping experience.