Colossians 3:12-14
So, chosen by God for this new
life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion,
kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered,
content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as
quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what
else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never
be without it.
Scripture
quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002
by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs,
CO. All rights reserved.
I
used to watch a reality TV show about a professional stylist named
Rachel Zoe. Fashion was her “thing”...and her job was to dress some of
the world’s most famous people for events and appearances. She combed
the world for just the right items of clothing, shoes, jewelry and
accessories to make her clients look their best...she tried to make them
memorable! She wanted people to say, “Rachel Zoe” dressed me...and she
ALWAYS makes me look good!
Now I will also have to say that
there is often nothing humble about these celebrities...and their
stylist is anything but even tempered and quick to forgive offenses!
She takes her work personally, and every criticism is an affront to her
sense of style - if not her personal self-worth!
I love how The Message
translation depicts the fruits of the Spirit as our wardrobe...and how
the Apostle Paul tells us that our basic,
go-with-anything-never-leave-home-without-it garment is love.
And while I may have appeared harshly critical of Rachel Zoe and how her
work is ego-driven, I fully acknowledge that we are all exactly like
her in many ways.
We are front and center to make the other guy
look good or feel better about himself...as long as WE look good in the
bargain! If we are honest, there are plenty of times when we reach out
to others out of an effort to propel ourselves to the top of the heap
and boost our own egos – more than a deep love and concern for anyone
else. And heaven help the person who offends us or even attempts to
one-up us in some way!
I can’t help but think about Jesus. The
more I study Him and get to know Him, the more I see how effectively He
operated in these very traits...compassion, kindness, humility, quiet
strength, discipline – and most certainly, LOVE! Yes, there were times when Jesus asserted His position... “Anyone who intends to come with Me has to let Me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat; I am.”
(Matthew 16:24) But His proclamation was in a factual context...not a
show of arrogance. And let’s face it...Jesus could back up His claim
with definitive actions and demonstrations.
I’ve been thinking
for a long time that my “closet” needs a good cleaning...both literally,
and spiritually. I need to take out the things that fit poorly or are
worn and outdated. And maybe you need to do this, too. You may even
have some “vanity items” in your closet that need to go...items that
say, “Hey, look at me and how special I am!” Maybe you have some
attitudes that need to go on the “discard” heap. Maybe you need to add a
few things or upgrade your “basics”...especially love and humility.
To
be completely truthful, many of the outfits Rachel Zoe assembles for
her clients look pretty bad to me. I struggle to see where there is any
“style” to them...or where they flatter the person who wears them. And
when we do our own “styling” and leave God out of the mix, the results
may not be all that attractive, either. There is no time like the
present for cleaning up our wardrobes and making a fresh start. And the
logical place to begin is with a simple prayer.
Ask God to be
your “stylist”...to show you how to weed out the unnecessary garments
and accessories... and to pare your “closet” down to His basic “love
suit” and only the best accessories and enhancements. When we allow God
to “dress” us, we are always in style...and others are blessed in the
bargain. What are YOU wearing these days?
©2014 Debbie Robus
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