A few weeks' ago, I came to a decision that I needed two or three more clerical shirts. To buy a new one usually costs between £20 and £30, and (being the typical Yorkshireman that I am) I don't really like paying that much for a shirt. I was delighted, therefore, to discover that a recently retired church leader was selling a number of his old clerical shirts on eBay! I was fortunate enough to win the online auction and bought them for what I thought was a very reasonable price.
The shirts came in various colours, and when I wore a rather bright green one to church this morning it elicited quite a few comments! Some church leaders wear particular colours for various seasons of the Christian year. I simply chose the green shirt because it took my fancy when I got dressed this morning.
A few Sundays ago, on a particularly hot day, I happened to mention in church that I really would have preferred to have come in my shorts, but that the thought of some disapproving comments persuaded me not to do so. After the service, one of our elderly church members came up to me and said, "You wear your shorts if you want to, we don't want you to faint!"
St Paul, in his letter to the Colossians, uses the clothing image to illustrate what followers of Jesus should be wearing in terms of their character traits. This is what he writes:
'Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.'
I'm sure that God isn't too concerned about the clothing we wear on our bodies. It's the kind of 'clothing' which Paul highlights which God really does want to see in our lives.
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