How are You Dressed?

By Karen DeArmond Gardner −

May I just say, I love clothes. And not just clothes, but everything that completes the entire look. Shoes, jewelry, and accessories! Clothes allow me to cover up and disguise what I don’t want the world to see. I am purposeful in what I wear. When I dress, I ask myself, do I want to be comfortable or is it more important to impress? Let’s face it−we women don’t dress for the attention of men, we dress with intentions of impressing or gaining approval of other women. We have all received the once over from another woman. This look either says, I like what you are wearing or, did you really walk out of the house in that outfit? Where are your friends, the ones who will be honest about the appearance of your latest outfit? Have you ever found yourself just staring? My husband has caught me staring or doing the once over a few times and indicated so with a tiny nudge.

Currently, I am struggling to find my style. I don’t want to look like a teenager; on the other hand, I don’t want to dress too old either. I want my husband’s eyes to light up with desire, not a question mark.

We are judged by what we wear, especially on the job and for interviews. Have you ever been under-dressed or over-dressed for an event? Awkward! So like it or not, clothes matter. What we wear under our clothes is just as important as what is on the outside. You have seen it… the panty line, the bra strap hanging out or worse yet, the bra−less.

In Ephesians 4, Paul tells us to throw off our old nature and instead be renewed by the Spirit in our thoughts and attitudes, and to put on or clothe ourselves with our new nature. What we wear matters, so take off your old ratty clothes and put on the new. In Colossians 3 Paul gets specific about what to put on. We are to clothe ourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. And above all, love. Oh and let’s not forget about forgiveness!

This is not an accessory or an optional piece of clothing. Being purposeful about what nature I put on each day is an option I choose, just as I choose what clothes I will put on. Have you ever said, “I am the way I am! Outspoken and blunt, so take me the way I am or not, your choice, not mine.” According to The Word, it is our choice what we put on. By not choosing mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience and love, we are choosing meanness, violence, pride, agitation, blame, punishment and hatred. That is not the outfit I want to put on every day.

Tenderhearted mercy is soft-hearted compassion towards someone who has hurt or offended me. Kindness is the act of being tenderhearted and considerate towards others. Showing humility by putting others above myself, showing gentleness by not being severe, rough or violent while doing all of this with patience. Don’t complain or suppress your annoyance. Be steady and even-tempered. Paul takes it one step further and tells us to make allowance for others faults and forgive. I refrain from showing my annoyance, and release them from my condemnation. In addition to all this, I choose to love the very person who has offended or hurt me. In case I think this is more than I can do, Paul reminds me that Jesus did all this and more for me.

If I am not purposeful in clothing myself each day, I am like the Emperor in Hans Christian Anderson’s story The Emperor’s New Clothes, who thought he was dressed in all his finery, but was really walking through his kingdom in his boxers. I am only fooling myself. Everyone around me will see what I put on and wonder if I have any real friends. Why would someone who loved you allow you to leave the house in your underwear and let you pretend you are really dressed?

So I ask, what are you wearing today?

Originally posted on My Purpose Now.