Changing Clothes
I pulled out my summer clothes last weekend. I was already in the garage doing some cleaning and organizing, and it was a beautiful, warm, sunny day. So I thought, “Spring is here! I might as well pull out my stash of shorts and short sleeved shirts!”
As if knowing my thoughts, Winter said, “Not so fast!”.
I don’t know about you, but for me it’s a good feeling to take off a shirt I’ve been wearing all day and put on a fresh, clean, soft t-shirt. My shirts and pants usually have coffee stains or dirt from brushing up against a wall or car. The nice, clean-smelling t-shirt refreshes my soul, especially right after a shower.
I think that might be why Mr. Rogers started every show with him changing his sweater and shoes. And I definitely don’t think the words of his ending song were there by accident:
It's such a good feeling to know you're alive
It's such a happy feeling you're growing inside
And when you wake up ready to say
I think I'll make a snappy new day
I don’t get the feeling there was much about Mr. Rogers Neighborhood that was there by accident.
That clean, fresh feeling of changing clothes is a great metaphor for personal growth. And it’s really interesting to me that Fred Rogers didn’t make it up.
Ephesians 4 is full of clothing changes. Paul uses the phrase “Put off…Put on” in verses 20-23 to communicate how we intentionally seek to grow out of our old default setting, those clothes we were previously wearing, and intentionally seek to grow into a new mode of acting and thinking, that fresh, clean t-shirt that refreshes our souls.
Put off the old self…put on the new self.
Take off lies, tell the truth in love.
Take off anger, put on grace and forgiveness.
Take off theft, put on meaningful work.
Take off unwholesome speech, put on encouraging words.
Take off bitterness, rage, slander, and malice, put on kindness and compassion.
This seems unnecessary to say, don’t we all know this is the better way to live? But when we go to our default old-self setting, we find ourselves in these negative interpersonal interactions. Usually with the people we’re closest to... unless we’re driving on the freeway.
This is the better way to interact with others, and we will be happier, more fulfilled people if we do. Let’s find a way to encourage each other to put on these new clothes, they are way more comfortable!
As if knowing my thoughts, Winter said, “Not so fast!”.
I don’t know about you, but for me it’s a good feeling to take off a shirt I’ve been wearing all day and put on a fresh, clean, soft t-shirt. My shirts and pants usually have coffee stains or dirt from brushing up against a wall or car. The nice, clean-smelling t-shirt refreshes my soul, especially right after a shower.
I think that might be why Mr. Rogers started every show with him changing his sweater and shoes. And I definitely don’t think the words of his ending song were there by accident:
It's such a good feeling to know you're alive
It's such a happy feeling you're growing inside
And when you wake up ready to say
I think I'll make a snappy new day
I don’t get the feeling there was much about Mr. Rogers Neighborhood that was there by accident.
That clean, fresh feeling of changing clothes is a great metaphor for personal growth. And it’s really interesting to me that Fred Rogers didn’t make it up.
Ephesians 4 is full of clothing changes. Paul uses the phrase “Put off…Put on” in verses 20-23 to communicate how we intentionally seek to grow out of our old default setting, those clothes we were previously wearing, and intentionally seek to grow into a new mode of acting and thinking, that fresh, clean t-shirt that refreshes our souls.
Put off the old self…put on the new self.
Take off lies, tell the truth in love.
Take off anger, put on grace and forgiveness.
Take off theft, put on meaningful work.
Take off unwholesome speech, put on encouraging words.
Take off bitterness, rage, slander, and malice, put on kindness and compassion.
This seems unnecessary to say, don’t we all know this is the better way to live? But when we go to our default old-self setting, we find ourselves in these negative interpersonal interactions. Usually with the people we’re closest to... unless we’re driving on the freeway.
This is the better way to interact with others, and we will be happier, more fulfilled people if we do. Let’s find a way to encourage each other to put on these new clothes, they are way more comfortable!
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