What You Wear Matters!

October 23, 2018

What You Wear Matters!

Romans 13:13–14

Randi Wideman

Central Truth

Watch what you put on, or others might be put off!

13 Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

What you wear matters, physically and spiritually! This truth has deeply impacted my life.

When I was a freshman at SMU, I was a new believer who loved Jesus, but I also loved the attention of others. I had no idea what it looked like to be a disciple of Christ.

The Lord generously gave me a spiritual mentor to teach me how to walk with Jesus. Such a gift! One day she told me that we needed to have a serious conversation. She sat me down and, in great love and complete truth, told me that we needed to talk about how I was choosing to dress.

“Randi, the Bible tells us that God looks at the heart, but man looks at the outward appearance. Right now, sweetie, what I know is in your heart is not matching up with what you're choosing to wear on the outside. What are you revealing to the world through your outward appearance? Does your physical appearance let the world know you are God’s holy, set-apart child? Is your beauty drawing others to you or to Him?”

Ugh! I wept that day. I was embarrassed and sad. I didn’t realize that what I wore physically mattered to God and affected others. I did not want to get in the way of God’s glory in my life. So, that day, I decided my theme for how I would dress would be: "Modest is HOTTEST!"

God cares deeply about how we clothe ourselves. Romans 13:14 (NIV) says, “Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ . . . ." Clothe yourselves with Christ! That is the wardrobe that has been chosen for us, and it is spectacular! What we wear matters, physically and spiritually. If we clothe ourselves with Christ, then we should look like Him from the inside out. We should love like Him, serve like Him, speak like Him, forgive like Him. Our lives should reflect Him and draw others to Him. When we put on the beautiful wardrobe of Christ, there is no room left for our ugly flesh. Praise God!

This month's memory verse

18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.

– Romans 12:18

1. Do you have a spiritual mentor—someone to teach you how to walk with Jesus? Someone who will speak the truth into your life? If not, you need one (or more)!

2. Do you dress to draw others to yourself or to God? Is there anything you need to throw away from your closet right now? Do you spend more time looking in the mirror or toward your Maker each day?

3. Each morning, I tell my daughter how beautiful she is, and then I ask her, "What is the most beautiful part about you?" She replies, "My heart." Do you believe that true beauty comes from a heart fully clothed in Christ?

4. How are you doing taking off the desires of your flesh and clothing yourself with Christ? If you need some help figuring out what it means to clothe yourself with Christ, read Colossians 3:1-17.