Loving What You're Wearing {Colossians 3}
I don't know about you, but I'm a bit of a fashionista. I love looking through magazines and seeing the latest styles. Although each of us has our own personal tastes, I think we can all agree that we want to look good. And what we wear can also impact how we feel. Whether it be a comfy pair of sweatpants or a brand new outfit, when we love what we're wearing, it shows. In this chapter of Colossians Paul becomes our personal stylist, providing us with the perfect Christian clothes.
He begins by telling us that as believers we are united with Jesus, who now sits at the right hand of God. And as such, it's time to get rid of the old and put on the new. Time to shed our old clothes of disobedience, sin, and earthly living. Time to dress for success, putting on our new clothes of righteousness and setting our hearts and minds on things that honor the Lord. "Set your mind on things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God." (vs. 2-3) Once we lived in darkness, eternally separated by sin from our heavenly Creator. But Jesus pulled us from that darkness, and purchased us at a great cost. He gives us a new identity and clothes us in His righteousness. And because of our relationship with Him, we are now citizens of heaven and should dress like it. No longer are we to wear the filthy rags of immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, but rather the designer clothes of glory that reflect "those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved." (vs. 12)
So what are the pieces that make up our godly attire? "Put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other; whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity." (vs. 12-14) Each of these godly accessories, compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, Paul says, are created to perfectly coordinate over a foundation of love. In John 13:35 Jesus instructs us that, "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." We are called to be distinguishable from the rest of the world. With love being so evident in everything we do that when seeing us in our godly outfits, people will want to know who the designer is.
Our godly wardrobe was perfectly created and stitched by the hands of our divine tailor. And Jesus who wears each piece perfectly, desires for us to follow His example. Why? So, "When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory." (vs. 4) Jesus is returning very soon. And on that day what a glorious fashion show it will be when we will be revealed as His people. So, are you loving what you're wearing?