YOU ARE WHAT YOU WEAR!

        Have you ever been categorized or identified by what you wore? I don’t mean wearing a uniform with an ID badge that would give you away, but how about the common clothing you have on each day? Would it tell people where you came from or what you did?

        Last weekend Carol and I attended a funeral in Phoenix and on the way home stopped at Costco to pick up a few items and have my hearing aids checked. Dropping the aids off with the hearing assistant took only a few seconds, so off we went to join the other thousand or more shoppers in that monstrous store. A half hour later as we were leaving the congested checkout area, that same hearing aid assistant stopped me, said she was leaving, but if I stopped by her desk, another worker would give me my set back. How nice of her to tell us!

        But how did she find us in that wall-to-wall mass of people? How did she recognize us? As we left the store, the reason came to me - it was our clothing. We were probably the only older couple there in black suit and tie and fine dress. We stood out from the masses by what we wore. 

        Today people dress in just about anything any time, especially on a Saturday in a crowded Costco. But in Jesus’ day, the clothing people wore identified them. It gave away their nationality or race, their wealth or poverty, and it identified them as temple priest or farmer, slave or carpenter, male or female. Not so today! People wear anything anywhere, including to funerals.

        It made me wonder how others might tell if we are Christian or not. We don’t wear signs around our necks saying we are believers, nor do we dress much different than others around us. Our faith in Jesus would not show itself what we wear, but hopefully in what we say or in how we treat others. 

        Apostle Peter urges us, “Always be prepared to give evidence to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.” (1 Peter 3:15) Peter wants our faith to show itself. He wants us to give evidence to our hope, but with gentleness and respect. Oh, that we could have more respect shown in our neighborhoods, government, workplace, school and even our church. 

        It costs us nothing to be respectful or gentle. Jesus rarely showed anything but kindness as He dealt with people of every station and situation in life. The hope we have in Jesus can help us show concern and gratitude in our relationships. The Holy Spirit can help us “turn the other cheek”. 

May what we do and say today show others we trust Jesus.

Rev. Bob Tasler, www.bobtasler.com