My wife and I were in Seattle last weekend for a family wedding. When people asked us about the ceremony, we both gave similar answers. That wasn't the case if we were asked about the bride's dress. My answer: "Um, it was kind of an ivory-white color." My wife's answer: I must confess I don't even remember because it went on for a few sentences and included the word "pleats" and may have included the phrase "off-the-shoulder." So, I wondered, where was my attention? Perhaps not surprisingly, it was on the officiant. I was silently critiquing his style, the vows, what he was wearing, etc. Not one of my better moments.
How you present yourself at a wedding can cause some consternation, but it's not just weddings that may bring on this anxiety. Whether it's work or a social event or even going for a workout, we pay attention to the clothes we wear and how we present ourselves. If we're honest with ourselves, we may even admit that we also are watching others and judging their "presentations."
One of our church's CTA ads says that Urban Village Church loves tattoos and suits. But no matter what you wear or what you have inked on your body, a deeper issue, I think, is whether we're following Colossians 3:12. The author of this text encourages us to clothe ourselves not with the latest fashion or tattoo, but with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, and, above all else, love.
I'll explore our spiritual wardrobes this Sunday and reflect on the kinds of impressions we're making in our daily lives.
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