Ugly Shoes

It’s always pretty obvious when young children start to express their independence by choosing their own outfits, isn’t it? My girls are both at that point and sometimes the outfits they put together are pretty…ahem...interesting. For example, on a recent Sunday morning, both girls had chosen nice dresses to wear to church. So, from the ankles up, they looked pretty good. However, they couldn’t find any matching dress shoes, so Carley had on a pair of beat up flip-flops and Laura was wearing bright red crocs with her black velour dress. Of course, I didn’t notice until we were getting out of our van in the church parking lot and it was too late to make them change.

Yup…they looked pretty silly in their dressy-dresses and ratty shoes. I explained to them, for what seemed like the 50th time, the importance of wearing dressy shoes with dressy clothes. I have to admit that I was a little embarrassed, too. What would people think about me…the mother of these shabby-shoed sisters?

But leave it to God, He turned this situation into another teachable moment for me. God reminded me that when I became a Christian, I became clothed in Christ. Galatians 3:26-27 says, “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” I cannot imagine a finer garment than Christ! What does it look like when someone is clothed in Christ? Here’s a verse from Colossians 3:12 that gives a good description, “Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience”

Uh-oh! Even though I am clothed with Christ, the human side of me often behaves in some very un-Christian ways. Kind of like my girls the other day, I’ve got on a beautiful dress, but my shoes ruin the outfit.

Have you been there before? If so, let’s pray today that God will point out to us the ugly shoes in our closets and that he will guide our attitudes, thoughts and behaviors so that they will every day come closer to matching up with the sparkling, beautiful clothing of Christ that we wear.