Kingdom Clothes

From time to time, I encouraged my children to go through their clothes.
We were constantly ridding out, as I called it.
It was an important thing to do.
Someone else could use the things that they outgrew.

Clothes got passed down, one to another, in our family.
Even with passing things down, there were still large giveaway piles.
Periodically, there would be large trash bags in the upstairs hall closet.
Inside the trash bags were neatly folded clothes.

We still have the same system.
At any given time, a large trash bag will be in the upstairs hall closet.
Clothes are placed in the bag ready to be donated.
My youngest daughter has gone through her clothes countless times.

I feel like my style is changing, Mom, she told me.
Things I used to wear all the time, just don’t look right anymore, she said.
It is not a size issue; everything fits her.
Rather, it is simply an, It’s not me, issue.

It is a fact that styles do change.
It is not a matter of being trendy.
It is not a matter of needing the newest and the best.
It is simply, I am growing and changing and that looks like the old me.

I can relate because I do the same thing.
I am surely not physically growing anymore.
My clothes still fit me.
However, many things are just not me anymore.

I am changing.
That is a good thing.
Hopefully, I am growing in grace and wisdom.
Hopefully, each day I am more like Jesus.

Many people use their clothes to define who they are.
We are so much more than what we wear on our bodies.
We are really about so many things that no one can see.
No one but God, that is.

My oldest daughter was in my closet with me.
I was pulling out a few things.
I was debating over one skirt.
If I’m unsure, I always put it back and wait a bit to see if I’ll wear it, she explained.

Good advice.
No need to be rash.
No need to make an impulsive decision.
The skirt went back on the rack.

We need clothes to cover ourselves.
We can easily put too much attention on the outside, rather than what’s on the inside.
God cares about the inside much more.
We should, too.

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. (Colossians 3:5-14)

I am giving away clothes because they are just not me any more.
That is actually a good thing.
The clothes of the world mean less and less to me.
They can easily be tossed aside.

They should be tossed aside.
There are clothes of righteousness that need to be put on.
In Christ, we are being sanctified (made holy) every day.
More and more of the world’s trappings are falling off.

We are to clothe ourselves in the clothes of the Kingdom.
We are to put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
We are to put those clothes on our new self, which is holy and dearly loved.
Our new self is being renewed in knowledge, in the image of our Creator.

Our Kingdom clothes will never be put in a trash bag.
Our Kingdom clothes will never be donated.
Each of us has to wear our own set of Kingdom clothes.
We cannot borrow Kingdom clothes from another.

Ridding out our old self is a good thing.
It is good to take stock and make adjustments.
With the help of the Holy Spirit, we are being sanctified and made more like Jesus.
Only Kingdom clothes will do.