“Consider how the wild
flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in
all his splendor was dressed like one of these” (Luke 12:27 NIV).
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| The unexpected beauty of the pink wild flower so completely captured my attention that I didn't even notice the ladybug until I looked at the resulting photo. |
How is it that the wild flowers are dressed? Jesus reminds
us of their beauty, but in typical Jesus form, He really doesn’t give us the
answer. We really don’t know how it happens, but He reminds us they don’t sweat
and toil to look beautiful. They just are. “Life,” He said, “is more than food
and clothes.”
Yeah, but…
Yeah, but…
I remember times when the question of ‘what to wear’ set me
in turmoil. With far more time than money, I resorted to making clothes; some
of them simple things I could produce in only a few hours. They weren’t the
latest fashion, but they held together. They didn’t meet the standards of my
fashion-conscious family and friends, but they were the best I could do. I wasn’t
able to conform to their standards of approval.
As time became shorter and I could afford steps toward more stylish dressing, the turmoil didn’t abate. I’m not sure exactly when the balance was reached, but it had something to do with realizing all this was just another way of seeking approval from others, so I could be one of them. The pressure to conform to an external standard of acceptance was robbing me of the peace of God’s presence.
As time became shorter and I could afford steps toward more stylish dressing, the turmoil didn’t abate. I’m not sure exactly when the balance was reached, but it had something to do with realizing all this was just another way of seeking approval from others, so I could be one of them. The pressure to conform to an external standard of acceptance was robbing me of the peace of God’s presence.
It’s a subtle, snake-like thing, but nevertheless, quite real. Maybe
this is why Jesus spoke about it saying not to seek for what you shall wear, or
what you shall eat, but to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness.
Some seekers of holiness have even gone so far as to eschew fashion altogether and stick to plain, gender-specific (of course) garments that mark them as ‘different’ from the world. Yet, woven through the very fabric of it all remains this attention to appearance. Even dressed in the holiest rags, it’s still called ‘pride.’
Some seekers of holiness have even gone so far as to eschew fashion altogether and stick to plain, gender-specific (of course) garments that mark them as ‘different’ from the world. Yet, woven through the very fabric of it all remains this attention to appearance. Even dressed in the holiest rags, it’s still called ‘pride.’
It is not specific to any generation. Jesus saw it and wanted
His followers to recognize it. Paul noticed it in the “foolish” Galatians (Chapter
3): “Are you that stupid? Did you begin in a spiritual way only to end up doing
things in a human way?” (God’s Word translation).
He asked the Colossians (2:20-23) why they still submitted to external rules. “Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence” (NIV).
He asked the Colossians (2:20-23) why they still submitted to external rules. “Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence” (NIV).
Andrew Murray cautioned his generation in the late 19th
century, “Every seeker after holiness needs to be on his guard lest
unconsciously what was begun in the spirit is perfected in the flesh, and pride
creep in where it is least expected."
Avoiding the need for clothes would be a great solution, but
that ended with the fall. Now we have to deal with it daily, choice by choice,
in the knowledge of good and evil. And the dividing line has nothing to do with
the clothes line, hemline, bust-line or butt-line, but the bottom line. We must die. Daily. There is
nothing more we can add to what Jesus has already done, except to die to our
right to ourselves and allow Him to live in us and clothe us.
Don’t get me wrong. I still love a
good bargain and hate paying retail price for anything. But, instead of being a
slave to the sales flyer, I've learned to live in the freedom of His leading. I’ve discovered
it’s far more rewarding to find the $150 new coat for a tenth of its price, or the
pants I have prayed for at half their original price, with an extra discount
for being in the right place at the right time. It reassures me of God’s love
and attention to the details of my life.
Wanting God’s way so much that we are
ready to risk the disapproval of friends, family, and fellowship allows Him to
clothe us. It doesn’t mean we stop shopping for food or looking for clothes. It
just means we yield to the Spirit of God in it and through it all.
It means letting the shepherd lead us and that might be a very different direction than what we thought we understood. Asking Him for the things we need and want, and trusting that He cares and wants us to look like His royal children is an important part of abiding in Him… and considering the beauty of the wild flowers is a good place to start.
It means letting the shepherd lead us and that might be a very different direction than what we thought we understood. Asking Him for the things we need and want, and trusting that He cares and wants us to look like His royal children is an important part of abiding in Him… and considering the beauty of the wild flowers is a good place to start.
Deuteronomy 29:5
“For forty years I led you through the wilderness, yet your clothes and sandals did not wear out.” NLT
“For forty years I led you through the wilderness, yet your clothes and sandals did not wear out.” NLT
Proverbs 3:5-7
“Trust God from the bottom of your heart;
don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do,
everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on
track. Don’t assume that you know it all. Run to God! Run from evil!” The Message
Luke 12:31
“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you
need.” NLT
Luke 12:32
“Fear not, little flock, it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you
the kingdom.” ESV
Colossians 3:12-13a
“You are the product of God’s love; he restored you to his original thought. You belong to him exclusively. It is like
changing garments. Now that you have gotten rid of the old, clothe yourselves
with inner compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, upholding
one another in positive expectation…” Mirror Word
Excerpt from:
While
it is Called Today - a 30-day photo devotional for living well
by Dee Marvin
Emeigh
(c) 2014 Dee
Marvin Emeigh
all rights
reserved
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