New Clothes!
And so, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, 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. And beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. Colossians 3:12-14
My brother and I were blessed to have our grandparents purchase new school clothes for us each year as we were growing up, and I remember this act of love and generosity with deep gratitude in my heart to this very day. But I am thinking of one time in particular, when my grandfather Mabrey took me downtown Albertville, Alabama, to Dendy’s Men’s Clothing store to purchase a brand new suit for me when I was about sixteen years old. This was so exciting because Dendy’s was the nicest place in town to purchase men’s clothing! My ensemble consisted of a new coat, pants, shirt, tie, accompanied by a pair of new shiny black shoes. Boy O’ boy was I proud of my new clothes when I walked out of the store that day.
Paul encouraged the Colossian Christians to walk confidently and tenderly in the new suit of clothes they had put on when they became Christians. Paul says in Second Corinthians 5:21 that at the cross, we exchanged our robe of unrighteousness for Christ’s robe of righteousness. Carefully read the above passage slowly, several times. What if we were to exhibit this clothing as the Body of Christ in the community and the world in which we live today? What a difference it would make! My grandfather lived these verses!
Praise God for our new clothes!
Pastor Louie