Many of us have very full closets, yet, we wake up each morning and wonder, what will I wear today? I'm always a little envious of private school uniforms. Not that every style is my choice or colour my favourite, but those students rarely have to ask that question. Their daily attire is dictated. No guesswork.
How we look matters. Years ago I was chatting with my sister prior to speaking at a women's event and she said, "Joy, when you get up to speak, don't say anything of real importance for the first five minutes because most of the time no-one is listening. The ladies in attendance are looking you over, checking out what you're wearing, looking at your shoes, sizing you up and deciding whether or not you are worthy of their time, passing judgement based on appearance."
We can sigh and think how shallow that is, but sadly it is often true. We all want to dress our best, but we need to confess that the superficial impresses us more than we'd like to admit. In reality, as children of God, we need to remember that we are skillfully and wonderfully created, hand-made treasures fashioned for His pleasure with the Designer label of God's hand stamped across our lives.
Paul instructs us in Romans to clothe ourselves with the presence of the Lord. What does that mean? We know from the prophet Isaiah that Christ had no outward beauty or majesty that would attract us to Him. There was nothing in His appearance that would draw us to Him. It's not about external characteristics but inward character.
Do I bear any obvious resemblance to Christ's nature? Do my eyes seek to see the lonely? Do my hands reach out to touch and bring God's healing and love to hurting lives? Do my words encourage and strengthen? Do my ears listen with His compassion? Does my countenance reflect His glory? When people look at me, who do they see? How clear is my reflection of Christ to the people I come in contact with each day? Does anything in me keep others from seeing Christ? What in my life mars the view someone could have of Jesus? Am I allowing Christ's presence in me to be reflected purely through me?
We need to stop dressing for roles we are not even comfortable filling and begin clothing ourselves with Christ. Beauty isn't a treatment or a shopping trip. As long as we're depending on Prada, Armani, Dior or Ralph Lauren to cover us we are truly missing the natural radiance that comes from being clothed with Christ. Only Jesus can bring lasting beauty to our lives. At salvation, Christ covers us positionally, but we then need to daily decide to clothe ourselves practically by allowing the Lord to continue His ongoing sanctification in us.
Peter tells us that nothing is more precious to our Father as the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit and a heart fully devoted to Him (1 Peter 3:4). It's the holy presence of Almighty God that gives true beauty to any dwelling place and "we are the temple of the living God" (1 Corinthians 3:16). As God Himself says in 2 Corinthians 6:16, "I will live in them..." With Christ living in us we are clothed with garments of salvation, wearing compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness, love and all the fruit of His Spirit.
So today, as your reach into your closest for the perfect outfit, remember that the best wardrobe has already been purchased for you at quite a cost and is available free of charge. Not only that, but it always fits, the colour is perfect on you, and when worn well, will have others inquiring about the Designer.
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