Jen’s Gem: Put on God’s wardrobe each day.
I had a sizeable shoe collection years ago. Heels, boots, flats – you name it. If I was ever in need of a bit of retail therapy to lift my spirits, I headed to the shoe department. Not because I had an addiction to shoes mind you, but because my shoe size never changed.
I have small feet. Unless a shoe is really narrow, I wear a six and a half, sometimes a seven. The number on the scale has certainly wiggled throughout my life, but I could always count on a pair of shoes fitting perfectly.
Recently, my daughter had to update her wardrobe due to her upcoming internship. In addition to shoes, she also had to purchase more “corporate-looking” clothes. To assist her in the process, I sent her some links to tops and bottoms that would keep her within the fashion “Do’s” of the organization.
Not surprisingly, I got a thumbs down emoji to nearly all of them. When she sent me her choices, they were spot on. Stylish. Elegant. Perfect for her. I asked her how she made these selections. Her response was simple:
“I figured if I dressed like the women who interviewed me, who are in positions of power and authority at the company, I’d be good.”
Smart girl. She’s going to rock this internship not only with her brains but with her appearance as a polished, professional career woman.
My daughter is learning a valuable lesson. Dress the part. Put on the clothes that align with the job or position you want in your life. While there certainly has to be skills and talents underneath the cottons and silks, when we put on the right clothes, we can walk our walk successfully.
As a follower of Jesus, we also have a dress code. It’s called the armor of God. The apostle Paul encourages us to put it on every single day if we want to live the life Jesus died for us to have.
“Therefore take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” (Ephesians 6:13-17 NKJV)
Wow! This sounds like attire for warfare, doesn’t it? Swords, helmets, shields. This is serious business, but necessary if we want to win at life, yes? We’ve got some powerful enemies coming against us and we need to be ready – on the inside and the outside.
Think about it – what would happen if our military went into a battle with no weapons or protective gear? They’d be helpless against the enemy. What would happen if you showed up on your job in your pajamas? (Ok, pre-COVID) Do you think you’d be taken seriously or get that promotion? Doubtful.
The same thing is true when we are facing the fiery darts Paul speaks about. What are these fiery darts? Overdue bills. Job losses. Broken relationships. Betrayals. Harsh words. Illness. The list goes on and on, but you get my point.
If we are not following God’s dress code, we are helpless against the challenges life throws at us. If we are unaware of how to fight back against these joy-stealers, we’re going under and we’re going under fast.
What is God’s armor? Simple. Faith. Trust in God. His Word. Prayer. These are the articles of clothing we must put on each day to protect our hearts, minds, and spirits from caving in to the fiery darts
My daughter’s new clothes will help her look the part. Yet it is the armor of God that will enable her to be successful on the job and in life. Knowing who she is as a child of God and putting on His armor every day is the best wardrobe she will ever have.