So important these days to look the part, act the part and BE the part – looking good at all times is a MUST – we are judged by our employers, our colleagues and even our family on how we look.
Wardrobe design is so so important and is a critical part of your wardrobe solutions!
Some people even have specialists wardrobe designers to make your wardrobe something very special to keep those very special clothes looking just like they should be to keep you (the most important person in the world) looking your very very best at all times!.
You can even get tips to generally take care of your precious garments
From dabbing the centre of each button with clear nail polish to seal the threads to..
Rubbing the zipper teeth with wax to keep it working properly to..
keeping clothes wrinkle free by hanging beautiful clothes in the bathroom to get a free steam and dry!
Even your tootsies can get a make-over – you can…
Spray your shiny shoes with hair spray after each use to maintaining their lustre. or..
You can get scuff marks of your favourites by rubbing on eucalyptus oil or baking soda!
So whether it’s your favourite tee shirt or an expensive ball gown, tuxedo or suede shoes and bags – there is answer to your problems.
You can keep them and you looking the part – so important in today’s world
And so the list goes on ad nauseam!!
We can become obsessed with looking good and that our wardrobe MUST reflect the latest fashion and accessories.
So the world will tell us – but why stop at your clothes – turn on the television and you can be offered the latest in everything from whitegoods to IPads in 30seconds flat!
Somehow it is vitally important that the world will see us as successful – with all the latest gadget and gizmos around.
God on the other hand has a better solution:-
Colossians 3: 12-14 smacks us pretty hard and so straighfroward:
We as God’s chosen people need to clothe ourselves with lasting things – not worry so much with the world and what it can offer.
Paul tells us that God calls for us to “clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”
Now we don’t have to worry about trying to change ourselves! No success there I’m afraid!
This will only happen after we have surrendered to our Saviour – It is His and the Holy Spirit’s work to bring about those changes.
It is something that happens to us as we learn to grow in Him. Then His personality, principles and character takes over our lives and we begin to take shape in Him.
Now there is absolutely nothing wrong with trying to look your best and buying the latest fashion – the problem lies when those things take over as No 1 in our lives.
Paul says it is so much better to put those things in their proper place – way way behind what really matters.
People should see in us, as those belonging to God, a better way to that which the world is offering.
The world says “buy and live” God says “take and be free”.
What God is offering is far better than anything money can buy.
All the luxuries – money, clothes, property and cars won’t buy us true happiness and freedom. The clothes go out of fashion – the cars wear out – the houses aren’t quite big enough and money can be gone in an instant!
The freedom that God gives is eternal – we can be free from the excesses of the world, from the necessity of ‘keeping-up’ with the latest.
Paul goes on with God’s awesome message – “Forgive as the Lord Forgives you” – God has forgiven us a multitude of wrongs!
We should be so aware in our lives of being forgiven and as such so so willing to forgive others.
Forgiveness! An amazing word – it makes it necessary for us to forgo the need to ‘get even’ to be prepared to live our lives accepting the wrongs that others have done to us.
Jesus’ sacrifice covers all of our sins but each of us need to personally come to Christ to experience His forgiveness.
Once we have been forgiven – it is pretty much unthinkable for us to refuse to forgive someone else.
But Paul continues “And over all these virtues put on Love”.
Sort of like a big woolly coat over all those others things LOVE…
Love is the overriding virtue as Paul says “Love:- which binds them all together in perfect unity.”
So we are commanded to live as Jesus lived here on earth – putting on qualities which the world at large doesn’t see as very important – These qualities come from a life committed to God and a life led by the Holy Spirit.
It is so easy to let the world dictate to us what we should be doing – what we wear, where we go, who we should be seen with and even what we eat!
God’s way is perfect – He loves us – so if we are committed to Him we must clothe ourselves in His love and principles.
We have to realize that we, as well as others in our lives, have faults and we must show them the grace and forgiveness that Jesus gave to us.
So the whole thing to learn here is what to put off and what to put on. We are to put off the things of the world that drag us into separation from God and put on the fruit of His love shown to us through His Holy Spirit.
Everything we need is to be found in Jesus Christ who is God Himself.