At the end of chapter 13 of Romans, in verse 14 Paul says to “clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ…” Our Bible study lesson asked us the following “Reflect” question: “What do you think Paul was saying when he told the believer to ‘Clothe yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ’?” At first I was tempted to rush right by it. I never know what Paul means. He’s Paul. He’s difficult to get. He was a “Hebrew of Hebrews” and a zealous Pharisee (Philippians 3:5). Then I worried, “I don’t know, I just make costumes.” But I reflected a little longer and I’m glad I did. What I ended up writing and sharing with my small group was, “Clothes are a way to reflect and communicate who you are to yourself and to others. Especially in those (Biblical) times, you are what you wear.”
Other people in my group had great answers too. But as a costumer, I was the only one who went to actual clothes. On my drive home I kept reflecting, considering what costumes and clothes do in the theater world in which I work. A costume not only tells the audience who an actor is playing but it tells the actor how to portray their character, how to become that character. During a fitting an actor recently told our shop, “I’m so glad when the costume does all the work.” He saw his costume as a direction of how to stand, sit, and walk. His costume dictated to him how he could interact and move around his fellow actors and even the set pieces. A costume can prevent an actor from doing some things they thought may be good for the character and then give them insights into other ways of becoming their character that they hadn’t thought of prior to their costume fitting.
When I read Paul’s message to “clothe yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ” I’m considering who Christ is and how I can clothe myself with Him. How do I wear Jesus? And why? I was reminded of Marci’s teaching that a disciple’s goal is to become like their rabbi. By clothing myself in Jesus I am training myself to become like my Rabbi as an actor does a character. I am making a statement to myself about how to live; how to treat myself and others; how I behave, and how I move throughout this life among my “cast mates” and “set pieces”. As with an actor, it’s a continual process that continues far past fittings, rehearsals and even opening night. It continues throughout the run of the show and doesn’t end until the final curtain of the final show and they no longer need that costume.
To the audience a costume (if it’s a good one) is an immediate communicator of who that actor has become. A poorly designed and/or poorly worn costume doesn’t communicate very clearly. My “cast mates” (fellow Christians) and “audience members” (non-Christians that see and know me) should know by the “clothes” I wear (my behavior and speech) that I am a disciple of my Jesus. They should know instantly that I am different from the other characters in the play and be drawn to that difference and want to discuss that difference.
This is not to belittle the practice of one’s Christian life to the level of putting on a play. Clothing oneself in Jesus, of course, needs to be genuine of heart and a life changing deed, not a something we take off when the crowds are gone & the spotlight is off. It must be a continuous, intentional choice to make a change in ourselves as only Christ can help us do.
Written by Catherine J. Esera
In the Word Bible Studies
Copyright Marci Ford, 2016