I wear overalls almost every single day. I think they might be the most perfect piece of clothing ever invented, pockets everywhere, room to move, you can muck out a stall or sit down to supper in the same outfit. I’ve got my uniform figured out. But there’s a wardrobe that matters a lot more than what’s hanging in my closet.
In Colossians 3:9-14, we learn that as Christian believers who have been chosen and transformed by God for a new way of life in Jesus Christ, Paul says our new way of life includes a brand new wardrobe. A new wardrobe that has been custom made and selected by Christ, with His label in it. Designer clothes crafted by Jesus Christ Himself. How cool is that?
According to Paul, this new custom designed wardrobe replaces our old way of life. Because of Christ’s transformation in us, that old wardrobe is out of style, ill fitting, and obsolete. It represents the rags of sin, dirty and filth, not suitable for us as followers of Jesus Christ.
So what’s in this new wardrobe designed by Jesus Christ?
Paul says we are to wear compassion, kindness, humility, confident strength, discipline and self-control, even temperedness, being okay with second place, and quick forgiveness, just as Jesus Christ has forgiven us.
Most importantly, Paul says we are to wear love. Love needs to be our basic, all purpose garment. In fact, we should be wearing love all the time, with everyone, in every situation and circumstance.
This week, let’s ask ourselves: what wardrobe do others see us wearing on a daily basis?
Do the clothes we wear look like our old way of life? An old fashioned, ill fitting, out of style wardrobe?
Or are we wearing the new designer stuff? A new wardrobe selected by Jesus Christ, with His designer label in it, so that when others see us, they see Jesus?