October 7

A New Wardrobe

Today’s Scripture Readings: Psalms 110: 1-7 | Jeremiah 8:8 – 9:26 | Colossians 3:1-17 | Proverbs 24:27

Today’s Scripture Focus: Colossians 3:1-17

“Therefore as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourself…”( Colossians 3:12 NIV) 

Sometimes the old clothes just don’t fit anymore—but I don’t mean that the clothes are too small.  Sometimes we need a new wardrobe because we change positions. The young lawyer fresh out of law school usually has a major wardrobe update, for example. He could get by with Jeans and T-shirts in school, but not in the courtroom. The old way of dressing just doesn’t suit him anymore in his new position. 

When we become Christians, similarly, we change positions. What may have seemed natural and appropriate before we were Christians is no longer appropriate. Since Christ lives in me, I need to eliminate the clothes that are not in keeping with who he is, and who I am in him.  

The clothes I speak of are the behaviors and attitudes described in Colossians 3. Paul uses terms such as “put off” or “rid yourself” in relation to a whole list of sinful behaviors. They range from sexual immorality to “anger, rage, malice, slander and filthy language,”

We are hidden with Christ in God, We are dead to sin and have been raised to new life. We are to put on qualities that are in keeping with “who we are” in our new position as God’s “holy, chosen, dearly loved people.”

What shall we put on? What will our new wardrobe look like?  “Clothe yourself with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”  

Each one of those attitudes and behaviors sounds a lot like Jesus, doesn’t it? Of course, what else would we expect? Jesus lives in us, and as we let the Word of Christ dwell richly in us, we should expect a new wardrobe—behaviors and attitudes that reflect the life of Christ within us.

Some of us have some clothes in our closets that just don’t fit anymore.  It’s time to replace them with some clothes that will more beautifully reflect, on the outside, the life of Jesus, on the inside.

Heavenly Father, help me to take off the old clothes—the behaviors and attitudes of my old way of life—and put on the new clothes—the Christ-like attitudes and behaviors of the new life. Help me to get out of the way so that Jesus can rule and reign in me. Amen.