First Grade. It was time for me to start first grade. I was so excited to be grown up. My parents were excited for me to go too. Now before we go too far down the education road, I want you to know one of the things I was REALLY excited about…a new dress…a dress that was not home made…a dress that would come from a store. I didn’t have to stand still so my mother or grandmother took my measurements. I didn’t have to try to imagine how the material would look as my sleeve or skirt to the dress. No, my parents were going to take me to the neighboring town, go into a store, and purchase a dress…just for me. I remember going in to the dressing room very excited. My mother brought me a few dresses to try on. I chose one. It was beautiful!  I’m not 100% sure, but I seem, to remember it had a round neck, empire waist, puffy sleeves, and the top of the dress was a deep forest green and the bottom of the dress was tan. There was a tie in the back so a bow could be made. Life was good! I was on the top of the world.  I couldn’t wait for my grandparents to see my new dress. I knew my friends would be very happy for me. A new dress…I got a new dress…a new, store bought dress.

Not much has changed since I was a child. I still like new clothes when I can get them. In fact, every woman I have ever met loves to get new clothes. It could be a new dress, a pair of shoes, or a new shirt. I mean really, who does not love something new in their wardrobe? It may not happen very often, but when you get something new, it is special.You want to enjoy it. You want others to see what you have. Not to be boastful, but to share the excitement. The way I dress is part of my identity. Sporty, casual and relaxed is my style. If you shopped with me, you would know I’m drawn to orange…um, really bright colors…most bright colors. Do you find that you do things like that? Maybe it’s the style of clothes that you are drawn to on the store rack. Maybe it’s the color. The clothes that I purchase reflect my personality. If I “talk myself into” buying a dress while I’m out shopping, it will probably not get worn. It will hang in my closet. Sometimes it doesn’t take long until I decide the dress “was just not me”. Sometimes it takes a while for me to decide that. Sometimes I’ll try it on several times thinking I’m going to wear it, but then I go back to something that I think looks like me. I eventually will come to the decision that it is just not me…it never will be, and then I find someone to give it to so that they will enjoy it.  Call me crazy, but there is something about the clothes that I wear that show people who I am.

I’m not the only one that thinks clothing is important. The apostle Paul thought so too. In the book of Galatians, he states that being baptized into Christ, is like putting on new clothes. Galatians 3:26-27 ²⁶ For you are all children^[a] of God through faith in Christ Jesus. ²⁷ And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes.^[b]  A few years ago, I was privileged to go to Ephesus. We walked through the beautiful ruins. To walk where Paul and other apostles walked was incredible! While we were there, our guide told us of a first century church tradition. When someone was baptized, they immediately gave them a new set of clothes.  They wanted people to see a real physical difference in the person. It was important for there to be a substantial, noticiable change immediately.  When I think about that, I realize that this is what Christ wants from us. He wants people to see a real difference in our lives…not just outward, but inward. The spiritual clothes that we wear are more important to the world than anything I purchase with a dollar bill.

If you can, mark Colossians 3:12 in your bible. ¹² Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. ¹³ Make allowance for each other’s faults and forgive anyonewho offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. ¹⁴ Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. ¹⁵ And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.This time Paul was writing to the Colossian Church. This was a church made up of people like us, gentiles, non-Jews.  The Colossian church had been strong, but because Nero was a cruel emperor, the church was starting to become vulnerable. Remember Nero was the emperor that blamed Christians for the great fire of Rome. He retaliated by persecuting them. Crucifixion and burning Christians to light the streets were Nero’s “calling card” for his persecution. Paul wanted the church to look different.

Imagine: You go into a store to purchase something new to wear. You see two racks of clothing. One rack has clothes that show the world your mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness and love. The other rack has clothing that is colored with evil desires, jealousy, quarreling, and immoral living (Romans 13:12-14). Make no mistake, each day we choose what the world around us will see by the clothes that we wear. Paul knew it. He wanted the early church to show the world who they were. He knew choosing the “right look” would show others Jesus Christ. Just as you wear clothing that is visible, he wanted the traits of a Christian to be visible to all those they came in contact with. Paul wanted Christians to be merciful, kind, humble, gentle and patient. He told them to be forgiving and loving. He wanted them to be unified. He knew that if the community they lived in saw them…I mean really saw them; they would see a contrast to the evil in Nero’s world. Choosing the right clothes was imperative to show the life in Christ compared to the evil world that surrounded them. It would be a way for their community to see a better life.

It is no different today. When we follow Christ, we look different. Just like you can change your clothes and have a different look, living for Christ makes you look different from the world.  When we go into our closet each morning, we need to stop and think. Will my spouse see my clothes that show forgiveness? Will my children recognize mercy in my dress? What about my co-workers? Will they see humility in my attire? Will the waiter at the restaurant that messed up my order see patience, kindness? As important as that new dress was to me in the first grade, it does not compare to the clothes that I wear in my daily walk.  I need to stop each day in my “spiritual closet” and choose what I wear wisely. I need to choose the clothes that reflect who I am…a reflection of the Christ, my Lord.