Clothes Do Make the Man!

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CLOTHES DO MAKE THE MAN!         There is an old saying that goes, “Clothes do not make the man.” Clothes may not make the man, but they do sometimes indicate what a man is like. Just as outer garments say something about a person, in like manner, the garments which we wear spiritually say something about us. There are several passages in the Scriptures that tell us to clothe ourselves with something. Let's examine ourselves to see if we are dressed appropriately.

CLOTHED IN RIGHTEOUSNESS
       Job declared, “I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was a robe and a diadem” (Job 29:14). God's people must be dressed in righteousness and dressed in fairness. There is only one way for us to put on the cloak of righteousness, and that is by reading and following God's commands. The Psalmist wrote, “My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments are righteousness” (Ps. 119:172). It would have been hard for Job to put on righteousness if he did not know and apply the commands of God. So it is with us, we must read, study, and obey God's word to be dressed in righteousness. Job was also fair in his judgments. When Job sat at the gate and gave counsel, everyone listened (Job 29:21) because they knew Job was an upright man. Can we say that our judgment is like a robe and diadem? Do we wear the garments of fairness in our judgments or do we make rash judgments ignorantly and without all the facts?

CLOTHED IN HUMILITY
        Peter proclaimed, “...and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble” (1 Peter 5:5). Peter exhorted his readers earlier in this same verse to be subject one to another. Subjection will not happen unless a person has a humble spirit. So many want to be the leader, and very few want to follow. The proud want to be out front and seen by many. The humble, on the other hand, do their work heartily as to the Lord, yet do not seek the approval and applause of men. The church would be much better if more of her members were dressed in humility.

CLOTHED IN A RIGHT MIND
        After the Gadarene demoniac was healed, he was described by Luke as, “...sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and sitting in his right mind...” (Luke 8:35). For so long, this man had been mad and out of control. He lived in the graveyard, cut himself with stones, and yelled throughout the day and night while in the mountains. After Jesus healed him, he was clothed with sobriety and rationality. As God's people we must be clothed in sobriety and rationality because it takes both of these things to understand the word of God. It is impossible to reason with an irrational man. When a man has his senses about him and examines the evidence of the Bible with a sober and rational mind, then he can understand what God's will is for him. A man clothed in irrational behavior will never understand what God wants for his life.

CONCLUSION
        Are you dressed in righteousness, humility, and a right mind? Just as people notice the physical clothes that are worn on a person's body, the spiritual clothes can be seen by our actions. Do not let anyone see us dressed inappropriately.

K.A. Pugh