A Verse to Chew On

Therefore as God's chosen people holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness and humility, gentleness and patience.  Colossians 3:12 NIV

Do you ever watch the TLC show What Not to Wear?  I caught an episode of it just the other day...I turned it on just to keep me entertained while I took a much needed load off my feet - but I think it was a divine appointment!

On this show 2 style gurus, Stacy and Clinton, take some poor lucky gal, point out all of her wardrobe mishaps...reprogram her thinking on what is 'in' for fashion and best for her body type...give her a $5,000 Visa Card to shop with...and turn her loose on the streets of NYC to follow the 'rules' and purchase a whole new wardrobe...which, by the way, she now desperately needs as every article of previously owned clothing has been stuffed into the What Not to Wear trash can!

I call watching this a divine appointment because I sure needed the reminder.  You see for a gal who loved putting an outfit together complete with accessories and up-to-date hair and make-up I haven't been doing too great of a job while traveling on Mercedes Man's road to recovery.  More often than I care to admit I would find myself wearing (yes even in public) 'whatever'.  You know, what-ever was clean, what-ever was handy, what-ever happened to fit...and my only accessory was a black ball cap with Seattle across the front purchased for $4 at a drug store while stocking up on post surgical supplies.  Now doesn't that paint a pretty picture...sheesh!

I do give myself some grace for the time spent living out of the Man's hospital room.  My beauty routine there consisted of 'facials' with disinfectant smelling soap and paper towels in the public restroom and self done haircuts with manicure scissors...explains the ball cap, doesn't it!

But really, what about all the time back at home when this was still my go to uniform!?!  Well for those days I have a host of good reasons excuses for not putting anymore effort into my appearance as well.  Like...I was soooo sleep deprived...none of my cute stuff fits anymore cuz I've put on a few pounds sitting in medical establishments...I won't see anyone I know...blah, blah, blah.  Honest to goodness, at times through this process, getting myself fixed up really did require more physical and mental energy than I could muster...but somewhere along the road I think I just got lazy or complacent and kind of just gave up.  I got out of the routine of taking just a few deliberate moments for me each morning and instead hit the ground running - living under the tyranny of the urgent.  I bet you can relate a little to that last sentence without ever having to live through an organ transplant situation...I'm having flashbacks to when my teenagers where toddlers! =]

Then a funny thing happened.  A couple of weeks ago I found myself in a couple of different situations that allowed me to be out of my house and away from any type of medical setting for four days in a row...situations that required more than the 'whatever' outfit and ball cap.  Situations that required a little effort invested in my appearance.  And you know what?  I actually found/made the time to look decent...I got my hair and make-up done and ended up sporting a decent looking outfit, with accessories, four days in a row.  Now I don't mean to imply that this was the first time that I left the house looking presentable in two years...there were isolated occasions when I would be deliberate about my appearance out of necessity...but I had lost that sense of routine that I seemed to get back during those four days.

And low and behold - I actually felt better on the inside for the effort I applied to the outside!  I won't take up the space here to analyze the psychology of that...but it was a bit of an epiphany for me.  I had forgotten what a difference that type of deliberate effort could make on my day...how I interact with others, on my outlook and even on my energy level.  When I dress like a schlump-a-dump I feel like a schlump-a-dump...when I invest more energy into my appearance I have more energy to invest...hmm

So by now you may be wondering if I'm ever getting to our Verse to Chew On....well here it comes! =]  Just like I learned that by being deliberate in dressing the outside of me Paul is telling us here in the book of Colossians to be deliberate in dressing the inside!

Therefore as God's chosen people holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves in compassion, kindness and humility, gentleness and patience.  Colossians 3:12

Stacy and Clinton choose some lucky gal to make over because someone that loves her took the time to nominate her...

We are God's choice...He loved us in our schlump-a-dump state enough to send Jesus to make a way for our spiritual make-over...

Stacy and Clinton throw the old wardrobe away and give a $5,000 shopping card, (not their own money)...

Jesus paid a price we could never pay on our own...throws away the filthy rags of our own unpresentable 'righteousness' and covers us in His blood making us beautiful and acceptable before a Holy God...

Stacy and Clinton give their gal the tools to shop with and turn her loose on the streets of New York city...

The Father gives us everything we need that pertains to life and godliness through Jesus...supplies us with His Word...fills us with His Spirit...and promises to never leave us or forsake us...

Stacy and Clinton ask their 'client' to participate in dressing herself...

The Lord, through Paul, asks us to participate in dressing ourselves in what He's provided for us - compassion, kindness and humility, gentleness and patience.

What a great reminder for me!  I don't need to hit the ground running in the morning, (well I should literally...in my Nike's...then maybe the cute stuff would fit again), responding to the tyranny of the urgent in a spiritually schlump-a-dump state.  No I need to be deliberate in dressing myself in these items of clothing that Jesus has bought and provided for me!  I need to clothe myself...but I do it with His help...just like Stacy and Clinton walk their gal through the process.

I need to start each day deliberately before the mirror of God's Word...telling the Lord of my 'fashion' woes and asking Him to fill me and prepare me for my day...the people that I will come in contact with, (there are 3 even if I don't leave my house)...so that I can reflect His glory and beauty...listening to His loving instruction and encouragement.

When I make time for this it's amazing how much better I feel!  My situations and circumstances may not improve...but my attitude and ability to deal with them will appear on the 'best dressed' list when I choose to take the time, in a deliberate fashion, to seek the Lord first every day.

So, won't you join me in chewing on this verse?  Take it in...seek the Spiritual Style Expert and listen to the fashion advice that He whispers to your heart...what does compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience look like?...how would these change your appearance?...I bet we will all come away feeling and looking great!

Serving Him and you,

~Michelle...ApronGirl