“Um. Yes. I’d like a sah-lahd, puh-leeeese!”
She sat up straight, hands folded at the child sized table in front of her with lace dripping from her hat and from the hem of her fancy play-dress. My five-year-old reenacted her best English accent as she asked for a SALAD from the other little girl who “served” her in the pretend café at the local children’s museum.
I sat down next to her.
“A salad, huh? Sounds pretty grown up to me.” I smiled at her.
She lowered her eyes and set her hands gently in her dress-up lap. She smiled back.
“You LOOK grown up sweetheart. Do you feel grown up?”
Yes. She nodded demurely. Her “salad” was brought to her: a jumble of plastic lettuce, nectarines and kidney beans was set in front of her.
A few minutes before she’d found the dress up stash at the “theater,” and immediately after she wiggled into the lacy frock she ran to the café to sit down like a Lady-Who-Lunches.
As soon as she had dressed the part, she’d begun to request new and different things and act in new ways. A salad? Sitting quietly in one place? Hands folded sweetly in her lap? These are all foreign to my rough-and-tumble, chicken-nugget-consuming, dirt-under-her-bitten-fingernails Kindergartener.
She acted differently as soon as she donned the garb.
I wonder if we begin to “wear” different clothes, things like kindness, gentleness and love if we’d begin to act differently and desire different things. Perhaps even things that are at the heart, very good and healthy for us.
If we wore peace, we might desire the quiet and not distractions.
If we wore grace, we might want to forgive others for their grave missteps.
If we put on goodness might we desire the successes of others?
And if we wore love, do you think we might crave Jesus in a way that we never have?
Peace and grace and love are far more difficult than zipping up a play dress and sitting down to lunch, but maybe clothing ourselves in these grown-up, mature things can be a way to see our hearts and minds changed in the direction of Him.
What do you “wear?” What do you want to “wear?”
Leave a Comment
Brittnie (A Joy Renewed) says
Great post. I want to wear the fruits of the spirit. This can be difficult to do day in and day out although I think if I start programming myself to “put on these clothes” each AM then it will give me a good focus for the day and will be much more attainable when I face a stressful situation. Again, thank you for these wonderful reminders.
Lisa H says
Sarah,
I’ve heard this so many times. Act differently and then you will feel differently making you want to act that way. I used to say that I didn’t feel any love, compassion, kindness etc. therefore I could not act or offer love, kindness, grace, mercy. It was said to me so many times, almost like a mantra: right feelings follow right actions. The feelings do not have to come first but if you continue to act and do right despite what you feel then most likely you will begin to feel right feelings.
I did a bible study a couple of years ago–what not to wear–I’m drawing a blank on the name of the person who did it but it was like this. It was choosing to put on different clothes instead of what we would normally put on in hopes to change ourselves like you were describing.
Lisa
Kathy C. @ In Quiet Places says
I want to wear joy, that others will see the joy of the Lord in me…
John 15:11
These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.
Thank you for the beautiful words of encouragement to wear Christ well!
Risé Brown says
I find this so true … I think that is why scripture calls us to clothe ourselves in the Spirit, with gentleness, self control, etc. To dress ourselves with the breastplate of righteousness, to gird ourselves with the belt of truth. In the last few years, in discovering who I am (having been abused by my mother and thus was not allowed to be myself), I have finally started clothing myself in clothes that reflect who I really am and even when wearing the clothes I just feel more myself. Perhaps its strange, but it is amazing at how our ‘dress’ can change us. I had even gone so far as changing my first and middle name to what it is now. Even names can do this. So many personalities in the Bible were renamed – the one that comes to mind is Saul to Paul. Names and the things we wear have the ability to enable us to come more into ourselves, in Christ.
Soberjulie says
What a great post, this is true in our lives both as Christians and in the “worldly” way. If we garb ourselves in “Worldly” concerns then we will behave that way. Our priorities are those which we dress ourselves in. The more we “wear” our faith the more present in our hearts and minds it becomes.
Karen says
I NEED to wear GRACE!
Michelle Derusha says
This is so true. I found that playing the part, even when my heart isn’t initially in it, often leads to true transformation of my attitude and perspective.
Diane Bailey says
I love it when I read something that is the same thing God placed on my heart as well! I posted last night, and part of the blog was about wear rightousness. Love it! Different, yes, but the same, sorta.
Deidra says
sweet Sweet SWEET!
I want to wear patience. Need to wear it. Is it on the list?
Betty Draper says
Two days ago I went to buy a bathing suit for we had joined the YMCA and I love to swim. My swimming suit of choice is a pair of cut off and a top that leave no cleavage. Only a “real” bathing suit would do for the YMCA and I fully understand. Ocean swimming in Papua New Guinea ocean where we use to live carries no demands as far as swim clothing, swim in anything. Praise God the sport store had one to fit my fluffy body. So I had the right garment for the right adventure. I wanted to swim when I put the suit on… acted like a swimmer after getting into the water ….did some laps. Yes I think I acted out what I was wearing and felt like I swam well for about a half hour till I got water logged.
Which brings me to your question Sarah Markley. What do you “wear?” What do you want to “wear.
I want to wear approiate clothes that is befitting a child of a King and the fruits of the Spirit clothing is approiate attire. Even when I am struggling I want my Fruit of the Spirit clothes to look well on me. I want people to comment on my Fruit of the Spirit clothes and they will if I wear them well….which takes humility knowing it is Him that should get all praise for making the best clothes ever for us forgiven people to wear…Maybe we should call it Forgiven Wear….
Great post….I will take both my swim suit and my Fruit of the Spirit clothing next time I go to the Y……my prayer is others will not notice my bathing suit but take note of the heavenly clothing given graciously by the Master designer in the world.
Megan Willome says
Right now, for my teens, I need to wear joy and encouragement (which are rather foreign to me). They are battling so many insecurities right now, and I always seem to say the wrong thing to them.
Angie says
What a sweet, simple post! Such a visual lesson! I think I need to be playing “dress-up” a little bit more. I could stand to wear a bit more gentleness and patience. Thank you, Sarah!
jimmie lee says
I so badly want to be clothed in peace, grace and goodness. I can’t help but think that after a while your little one would go back to the way she is, with lacy dress and all she might go back to the ‘rough-and-tumble’ girl she is 🙂 I know when I try to be different than who i am, i always go back. ( I so hope my voice is clear here) So I want to BE peace, grace and goodness. To get there though I must clothe myself with these things daily, dying daily to myself until i become peace, grace, goodness and so much more.
Beautiful Sarah… just beautiful 🙂
lisa raftery says
Thanks for the great post—perfect illustration! I tend to wear a lot of love and faith, but this week as a mom, I want to wear a little more grace & patience. We ALL have a better day when I do! : ) And I want my kids to know that not only do I love and believe in them, but I value working with them, too, as they grow and develop.