Heading to the fitting room.

I am no fashion maven. There, I said it. I don't have the latest clothing styles or a lot of designer jeans. I'm totally comfortable in my own skin and feel right at home with an old pair of jeans and a tattered t-shirt. This wasn't always the case. I can remember wearing white dress slacks, white shoes, hip looking blazer jacket and the collarless shirts. I was Don Johnson doing "Miami Vice" in Clearfield county. Visualize me walking to the pigpen to feed the hogs in that get up! Phew! Glad that era passed quickly!

Given all that is happening around our beleaguered country right now, I think we all need to examine our clothing styles. We have opted for the shirt of pride, the pants of swagger, the shoes of oppression, and the belt of abuse. Looking and acting ugly seems to be a default for much of the citizenry of our once proud nation. Where did these options for attire arise from and when will they fall back into the hole from which they came? When will we begin to put on the clothes God has designed for us. It is quite simple actually.

The first step is in acknowledging that God has called us and wants to set us apart for a grand purpose. This text was my verse of the day from Colossians (The Message by Eugene Peterson) and spoke to me of solid clothing choices we should all consider.

Observant readers will note this text begins with love and ends with love. In between are a few notable apparel choices that will look nicely on any person willing to try them on. Finding the right style, size, and cut in clothing can require a few trips to the fitting room. Go ahead and experiment with compassion, kindness, humility, and quiet strength. Look in the mirror and see how they look on you. If you're strong enough, give discipline a go and see if your life and witness for Jesus doesn't look like you walked out of the Spiegel magazine (circa 1970).

Isn't that what God is calling us to here in theses scriptures? God calls us and places before us solid choices for presenting Jesus Christ to a world slunking around in their poor wardrobe. Many have settled for ill-fitting things like pride, swagger, oppression, and abuse.

Read the piece from Colossians again and internalize the valuable worth of each of these clothing choices. Try them on then get out there and change the world where you call home. Each one reach one used to be a popular song title. It is still the way God's kingdom is positively affected. Take a look in the mirror and see if some of your clothes are sending the wrong message. If so, change. If not, then you have read Colossians long before I did.