What Are You Wearing?????

My kindergartners used to sing a cute little song that went, "What are you wearing, what are wearing, what are you wearing today?" It was a cute learning tool for kindergarten, and , surprisingly enough, it can be a great one for Christian introspection and growth.

Did you know that until 1992 it was illegal to wear religious garb in public in Mexico? Although it's known as a Catholic nation, a series of laws put in place to protect the common man from clericalism (among other political reasons) resulted in this surprising edict. Which is why in the years Auntie lived in Cuernavaca nuns wore dress that looked remarkably like--surprise--Auntie! In public, habits were replaced by an overall look of plain businesslike attire, usually reflected in plain skirts in nondescript colors without any frills or lace.

One day Auntie was in a pesera (a kind of mini-bus taxi that charges one peso, hence the name "pesera") when the man next to her accosted her, wanting her to admit to being a nun. Auntie tried to explain to the man that she was not but to no avail. The man got quite hot under the collar, accusing her of being ashamed of being a nun. For a minute there she actually thought he was going to throttle her!

When I arrived in Cuernavaca to work with her, Auntie let it slip that some people called her home "the house of the nuns." She and the other workers on the Christian magazine she put out dressed simply, like nuns, and their lives were lived quietly--like nuns. Young and starry-eyed, I was enthralled at this bit of information--and proud of the fact that when I went to the dry cleaners the young man who took my clothes started back in surprise and blurted out, "You're from the house of the nuns!" I didn't have time to correct him, Auntie was waiting outside in the idling Misionero, her faithful grey Datsun, so I just said yes in order to expedite the transaction. Truth be told, my smile reflected the joy in my heart--Imagine! My life and dress were such that I was identified as a nun, a woman who had dedicated her life to the service of God! I might not be Catholic, but, may God forgive me, I was proud to be recognized as someone who lived a clean, holy life for God.

Those of us of Protestant persuasion may not dress in religious garb, but we are admonished in Scripture to wear certain spiritual garb. Time and again we find references in the Old Testament to "the robe of righteousness." Ephesians tells us to put on the armor that befits a child of the King. Then there are other passages that tell us to put on our Lord Jesus Christ.

Galatians 3:27 reads, "For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ." How does one "put on Christ"? By acting like Him. What He said, what He did, that should be us now. I guess that's a good reason to read the Bible!

Romans 13:14 gives us a little insight into the meaning of "putting on Christ." "But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof." In other words, our lives should be lives that reflect Christian disciplines. Just what are those disciplines? I can hear my Grandma now, "Read the Bible!"

Colossians 3 adds even more insight into what putting on Christ should look like. Verses 12-14 read, "Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering, forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity (love), which is the bond of perfectness." We might not have the "nun look"--but as followers of Christ we should have the "Jesus look." Kinda like Grandma ...

I've shared this story before, but it is so wonderful that it bears repeating. It is about a night I remember as if it were yesterday. A child could be heard crying in the house behind ours (open windows/no AC in those days). Although we were already in bed, Grandma jumped up, wrapped a robe around herself, and shoved her feet into some shoes.

Horrified, I asked, "Grandma, you're not going over there, are you?" It was late at night. The neighbors were new. They might not like someone butting into their home affairs in the middle of the night.

"The baby is crying and they need help." That was classic Grandma. So off into the night she flew.

I got a peek of her as she passed by our bedroom window (I shared a room with her), locks streaming out behind her like some kind of angel on a mission.

Oh, boy, I thought. The neighbors are really going to love us!

I am glad to report that I was right, in the best sense of the word. The baby quit crying (Grandma had a way with kids), the neighbors were grateful and opened up their home and hearts to her, and her loving actions drew our neighbors to the Lord! They all became Christians!!!!! I thought my Grandma was crazy, but she wasn't. She was just very, very good at putting on Christ in her every action--something that sometimes translates into actions of mercy that fly in the face of conventional wisdom.

We have been seated in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:4). As one minister said, now it's up to us to put into practice what has happened to us positionally. We might not have the respect shown to those who walk around in religious garb--but our lives should reflect to all who see us the living Christ in all His glory.

I absolutely love the story of the Gadarene demoniac in Luke 8. Jesus delivers the man from demons that have been tormenting him, the demons jump into pigs and cause their demise, the shepherds of the pigs , terrified at the sight (and loss of property), run to the village to report what has happened, all the people from the city are equally terrified and come to beg Jesus to leave. He does--but when the delivered guy begs to go with him, Jesus responds in a somewhat surprising way.

"Nope, " Jesus tells him (paraphrased), "Go back and tell all your friends and family what God has done for you."

The delivered guy obeys. He goes back to his home and talks and walks a delivered life to all who knew him. So what happens? The next time Jesus comes to the area, the people who had begged him to leave now flock to him, bringing their sick to be healed. One guy talking and walking like Jesus and a whole community came to Jesus!

May we be like that guy. May we be like Grandma. May we walk in this world in robes of righteousness.

"Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise." (Luke 10:37)