The other day I had to run to Wal-Mart to get some paint for one of the bedrooms in our house. Grace, my adorable, precious, sweet, lovable three-year-old granddaughter asked, “Can I go with you, Papa?” Of course, I couldn’t refuse. It’s nice to be loved.
“Alright,” I said, “you can go with me.” But I wasn’t prepared for what came next.
“Are you going to change your shirt?” she asked.
“What’s wrong with my shirt?” “It’s not dirty,” I reasoned.
“Go change your shirt,” she said in a tone of voice and with a look that said, “No, really. Change your shirt.”
A three-year-old is telling me ‘what not to wear’ and refusing to be seen in public with me unless I change shirts. I had to laugh. It makes me wonder what everyone else is thinking about my shirt.
This was a very ‘normal’ looking shirt, I think. But, if I was going to keep company with Grace, if she was going to be associated with me, I had to change shirts.
That reminds me of the Apostle Paul. He told the church in Ephesus ‘what not to wear’. If they were going to keep company with him and be associated with Jesus, they had to change, too.
“…put off, … the old man which grows corrupt … and put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.” Eph. 4:22-24
He went on to encourage them to:
Put off lying, put on the truth.
Put off stealing, and put on honest work.
Put off corrupt speech, and put on words that edify.
Put off bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor and evil speaking, and put on kindness, tenderness, and forgiveness.
I’ve changed a lot since I started following Jesus, but not enough. We all need people in our lives who will bluntly tell us that if we’re going to be associated with Jesus, we have to change, because what we’re wearing, . . . what people are seeing doesn’t match.
What do you need to ‘put off’ today?
I changed my shirt, and Grace and I had a great time at the store. She was proud to be seen with her Papa, and we split a bag of M&M’s. (Don’t tell Cindy.)
Enjoying the Journey,
David
