I was driving home after church, I found myself praying for people in my circle, my community, my family. I reflected on the conflicts and struggles going on there. ‘It’s hard to be human,’ I exhaled as a silent prayer. Then this picture popped into my mind of a person taking off pieces of clothing. The clothing had names on it. Hiding. Shame. Insecurity. As each word was taken off, the person went from a shadowed demeanor into a brighter countenance.
Remember Psalm 34:5? Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.
Then I saw the same person, now radiant, put on three new garments;
Confidence. Mercy. Compassion.
The Lord reminded me of how Colossians 3 instructs us to live as those made alive in Jesus and we have “taken off your old self.”
Rather our wardrobe has completely changed. We now live “as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved” and therefore we “clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” Putting off and taking on. There is a lot of personal power packed in this whole passage. There are a lot of heavenly exchanges too.
Taking off hiding. Putting on confidence.
Confidence to live wholly seen since we are bathed by His Love.
Taking off shame. Putting on mercy.
Mercy flowing from Heaven to cover any past sin, lie, failure, or memory.
Taking off insecurity. Putting on compassion.
Compassion, not futile tolerance, but deep heavenly kindness for our still-in-process human weakness.
I wonder, could we become uncomfortable in these ill-fitting clothes provided for us by the enemy? Could we become so rankled that whenever we feel insecurity, shame, and hiding, we recognize it’s an assault on very tender places in our life?
Places that need healing, not accusation.
Instead of defending our bad fit, we would shirk off the clothing and run for the garments that God has given us.
We’re not trying to fix ourselves. Jesus already did that. The old man (woman) is dead. We got ourselves a new life. A new look.
Now we have the honor of putting on the same garments that Jesus wore. And may I say, His righteousness looks good on us!