Homeless

“If you are hungry, I will buy you some food.” The young woman looked up at the source of the kind words and saw an elderly gentleman. She did not miss the generosity of the gesture as she quietly explained her predicament. Food was the last thing on her mind.

As the gentleman turned away, the woman realized she had never been seen as “homeless” before this moment. The boggin pulled over her unbrushed hair was there for a reason. The oversized sweatshirt and leggings were considered fashionable where she lived, and her gaze out the McDonald’s window at the table where she sat was only a reflection of a frustrated mind and unsettled emotions.

The beautiful visit with her family was overshadowed by a long drive ahead. So grabbing some clothes and heading out as quickly as possible, the woman planned to return home and finish a few hours of work. The stop at McDonald’s was to be brief, but a dead battery made the decision for her to settle in and wait. That is when my husband got the call. Abby, our daughter, was stranded at a McDonald’s in a city about an hour and a half away due to a dead battery in her car.

The stress of a dead battery and waiting for a dad to come and replace it was quickly erased as Barry arrived and saved the day. The humor of the situation was felt by us, although Abby did not seem to think it so funny. Of course, a dead battery can be a source of stress, but it was not that which not only caused us to laugh but gave me a spiritual truth to consider.

What we wear makes an impression on those who see us, giving them an idea of who we are. Now, before I make someone think I am shallow enough to believe we must dress a certain way for approval, let me add that this thought is metaphorical. I am grateful that the women in my daughter’s generation don’t worry about wearing make-up all the time and are comfortable in their own skin. This comes from a woman who put make-up on to go to the mailbox. The truth is, what we wear is a biblical thought.

Rita Sweat, a Christian speaker, recently spoke at an event I attended and reminded us that Colossians 3 speaks to what believers are to “put on” and “put off.” She eloquently described the “wardrobe” of the Christian women as a “heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other.” The last adornment is love, which “is the perfect bond of unity” (Colossians 3:12-14). This “wardrobe” is the clothing of a believer in Christ who demonstrates who she is by what she wears. “Clothing” on the outside depicts what she is on the inside. And what she is on the inside is a new creation, a daughter of the King. So, she should dress the part.

Paul was writing to the Colossians who were dealing with heresy being taught. Paul was warning the believers, teaching them to “keep seeking the things above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God” and to “set” their minds or “to be intent” on the things above, not on things that are on the earth” because they had “died” and their “life was hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:1-3). You see, they were different because Christ was now their life. They were to look and “dress” differently from the world around them. We, too, are different. We are to look and “dress” in a way that distinguishes and identifies us as believers. The result of our salvation is that we will look like Christ. The journey of our sanctification is the very process of that transformation. You could say it is learning how “to dress.”

Women have sought to be valued and distinguished through how they look on the outside. It is an ugly lie that whispers beauty is skin deep or relegated to outward apparel. Yet, the Scriptures call women to adorn themselves as those who are holy and beloved by God. The Scriptures “liken behavior to a garment” you put on, and this is so clear in the letter to the Colossians. (The Bible Knowledge Commentary). “Christians become increasingly like the Lord as they refresh their new natures, yielding to the Holy Spirit’s sanctifying work.” (The Bible Knowledge Commentary). And one way to yield to the Spirit’s sanctifying work is to “put off” behavior such as anger, wrath, malice, slander, abusive speech, and other evil practices and “put on” compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forbearance, forgiveness and love.

I find it interesting that to “put off” in the Scriptures is a picture of someone throwing a behavior off like one would a dirty shirt. (The Bible Knowledge Commentary). Do we, as women of God, daughters of the King, see our behavior as adornment? Do we consider the behavior God calls us to “put off” as dirty clothes that do not need to be worn one more time? Or do we eagerly dress in the clothing He alone provides us in Christ and live in the world as distinguished and identifiable Christ followers? Like Abby’s mistaken identity was based on her outward apparel, our “clothing” may cause others to miss the most important truth about us. We have been bought at a price, so we are to glorify God with our bodies and “put on” the behaviors and attitudes God expects and provides!

Women of God, let’s go out and make a great impression! We all look beautiful!