“But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” Colossians 3:8, 12.
Reflection: have you checked out your closet lately whether all your shirts fit you?
We try to have a rule in our house. If you have not wore a shirt for 2 years, get rid of it. For many, the content of our closets keeps growing because we keep buying new without getting rid of the old. Then when you pull out a shirt you have not wore for years, you find out that there is a reason why you have not worn it. It does not look good on you any longer. You can either hang it back, or get rid of it.
In the instructions to the Colossians, Paul used the analogy of clothing to talk about the right behavior of a follower of Christ. Like an old shirt that no longer looks good on, he says to get rid of it. And he mentioned several shirts here that we may be keeping in our closets. To be pulled out when needed, when convenient, for the right moment. Such as the “shirt of anger”. Wow… That one can be convenient from time to time when we feel someone has wronged us. That we have ‘the right’ to put it on. How about the “shirt of slander”? Talking gossip or bad about others, behind their backs. Is that one still in your closet? Taking it out when meeting with friends, perhaps? What about the “shirt of bitterness”? Of jealousy? Perhaps pride?
We read here a clear command to get rid of a whole bunch of shirts. They no longer become us as followers of Christ. We have to remember that it is the shirt we wear that people see. It doesn’t change us inside, we are still saved by the grace of God. By the atoning blood of Jesus Christ. Hallelujah!!
But it changes what others see. What living close to Jesus means to us.
Now, we are not supposed to walk around naked. We have to replace those old shirts with a new ones. And here we have a great list of new shirts that our closets must be filled with. To replace the anger shirt, how about the “shirt of compassion”? Or perhaps kindness, depending on the situation. Both shirts will come in handy at times. But we need more shirts in the closet. We also see a reference to humility, gentleness and patience, later truthfulness, and love.
And our clothing is also critical in our present spiritual battles. We read “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 6:10-12. If you examine each of the elements of the armor of God, it is Jesus. As Paul explained to the Galatians, “for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” Galatians 3:27 NIV.
Therefore, does our clothing look like Christ to others around us? Our family? Friends? Neighbors? Colleagues?
So today, let’s examine our closets. Look at every shirt that you wore for the past couple of weeks. What does your favorite wardrobe look like? Which ones must go, that are old, no longer becoming us as a child of God. Don’t just hang them back – get rid of them!! And replace them with shirts becoming of our new creation in Christ. “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” Colossians 3:1-2 NIV.