WHAT ARE YOU WEARING? (standard:non fiction, 922 words)
Author: Marsha	Added: Mar 15 2002	Views/Reads: 3341/3	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
We try to disguise who we really are by improving our outward appearance, but God sees our hearts.

WHAT ARE YOU WEARING? 

I've been sick for several weeks with a nasty virus that is rough to
shake. Except to go to the doctor, I've stayed in my pajamas on the 
couch. Today, for the first time in two weeks, I got dressed and put on 
makeup. What a difference it made in the way I looked AND felt. As I 
put moisturizer on to hide my wrinkles, makeup to cover my age spots, 
and mascara to make my lashes look longer and fuller, I thought about 
all the effort I put into disguising the REAL me. I color my gray hair, 
pluck the hairs on my chin, and buy clothes that will (hopefully) fool 
people into believing that I am not  as fat as I really am. And it's 
not just my outside appearance  I try to hide. 

Do people see us for who we really are, or do they see only what we want
them to see?   At times when we lose our cool, our real motives and 
attitudes can come spilling out. But every one of us pretends at times 
to be something we are not. It's natural to try to hide our faults so 
that people will like us. Just like the characters at Disney World, we 
disguise the real person and "dress up" in costumes to please those 
around us. And, just as the old cliche says, we are able to fool some 
of the people some of the time. However, we can't fool God! He sees 
through our disguises and looks into our hearts. Jesus told the 
Pharisees (in Matthew 23:27) "You are like whitewashed tombs, which 
look beautiful on the outside, but on the inside are full of dead men's 
bones and everything unclean. On the outside you appear to people as 
righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness." 

In Psalm 139, it says that God knows all about our thoughts, our
actions, and motives. The prophet Isaiah (in chapter 64) wrote that all 
the good deeds we do to cover up the sinful side of ourselves and all 
of our  best efforts to look and be good still appear no better than 
"filthy rags" to God. Sound discouraging? 

But here's the GOOD news: Even though God knows who we really are, He
loves us in spite of our failures and weaknesses! His word tells us 
that He wants to clothe us in "garments of salvation" and cover us with 
"robes of righteousness "(Isaiah 61:10). Now that's an outfit I want to 
wear! 

Galatians 3:27 says that when a person is baptized into Christ, he "puts
on" Christ. We don't need a mask or a costume to disguise our REAL 
self. If we want something to cover up our bad side or something to 
hide behind, it can be Jesus! We can be covered by God's grace, 
salvation, and righteousness. And, unlike any worldly clothes, these 
garments will last for eternity. When we put these on, they don't just 
cover our faults and disguise us - they make us a whole new person (2 
Corinthians 5:17). What a relief! Instead of trying to hide the real 
me, I can let God change me into something better. God can give us a 
new heart (Ezekiel 26:36) with right desires and create a new spirit 
within us! This is what I want. Then I won't have to worry about 
pretending or hiding or covering up. I may be like an ugly caterpillar 
right now; but with God's power, I can be transformed into a new 
creation, like a beautiful butterfly! 

Want to learn more about "putting on Christ?" Read Acts 2:38 and 1 Peter
3:21 and visit my web page "Have you made your reservations for 
heaven?" at http://www.hugsandhope.com/reservations.htm 

################### 

Author, Marsha Jordan, is Founder of The HUGS AND HOPE FOUNDATION for
Sick Children.  She is a disabled grandma who lives in the northwoods 
of Wisconsin with her husband of 26 years and their toy poodle, King 
Louie, who rules the household with an iron paw. Once an active 
volunteer in many scouting, school, community and church activities, 
Jordan was an energetic homeschooling mom who also worked as a 
secretary until her life took a sharp turn. Her busy schedule came to a 
screeching halt when she fell victim to an auto-immune disease which 
struck her blind for several months. She knows how it feels to be sick, 
in pain, frustrated, and afraid. When she encountered this roadblock, 
God steered her into a U-turn, but she continued full speed ahead in a 
new direction. Through her Hugs and Hope Club, Jordan strives to send a 
message not just to suffering families, but to all people that we don't 
have to face life's problems alone. God cares about our pain and 
desires to be intimately involved in our lives. He wants to help us 
through the struggles and have a personal relationship with each of us! 
Jordan likes to remind people that God has a plan for each life. No one 
is insignificant. And God can do great things with you, even if you 
lack great talent. It is her earnest prayer that hurting people will 
come to know the awesome love, peace, and joy available to those who 
seek God and serve Him. Jordan enjoys creating web pages, collecting 
and decorating with antiques, rubber stamping, and having fun with her 
three year old grandson, Cobi, who is the light of her life.  She's 
been published in 29 online newsletters and ezines. 


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