And I’d go further and say it matters what you wear no matter where you are. This, I believe, especially applies to us pastors. When you go to visit someone who is hurting it matters what you are wearing. Some things are just not befitting. When we preach the gospel our people need us to be wearing certain attire or it does not adorn the gospel.
I hope you understand I’m not talking one bit about clothing.
“Praise befits the upright.”
We should always be wearing garments of praise. You can come to church dressed to the nines but if you don’t have a heart of praise, then you’re like the goofy teenager who wears one of those tuxedo t-shirts to prom thinking he’s properly dressed. Likewise you can be dressed comfortably—rebelling against all the “legalism”—and still have a heart which leaves you naked and exposed. Only praise will do.
And it matters. If you’re dressed in cynicism then you aren’t going to help the grieving saint—no matter what your clothes look like. You cannot give hope if you don’t have it yourself. And you can tell if a person has hope or not by whether or not they are wearing praise as a garment. When the bad times hit are we the first ones to clamor and grumble? If so, we aren’t wearing the right clothes. Cynicism doesn’t fit quite right. Only praise will do.
But what about lament? There is definitely a time for us to wear sackcloth. And this side of Eden our garment of praise is always going to have a bit of ash upon it. But there is coming a day in which we will fully exchange those dusty rags for splendid garments. Then we’ll be fully and appropriately dressed in the righteous robes of Christ. But as we wait we’re still wearing attire which is befitting a heart flooded with praise—even if it’s also soaked with tears.
Yes, friends, it matters what you wear. And only praise will do.
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Photo source: here
