Accessorize Like You Mean It
My favorite part of fashion is definitely jewelry and accessories. They are fun, pretty, and come in all styles and price ranges. I love to wear unique pieces that make me feel special, trendy accents to help me feel stylish, and personal treasures that remind me of someone precious. Accessories take the foundation that is already there and finish off the look. They can dress us up or down, and make the same outfit look entirely different from one day to the next. The possibilities are endless!
The author of Isaiah 61:10 is absolutely over the moon about being adorned with certain accessories. Being clothed with salvation and wrapped in righteousness is a pretty big deal, apparently comparable to the coverings and accessories a bride and groom wear to prepare to join their mate in marriage. The metaphor couldn’t be more applicable. Without God, we are all sinners living in this broken world, displaying our flaws when we behave badly. When we accept Jesus as our Savior, He comes into our hearts and gives us His Holy Spirit to dwell within us. This passage tells us there is more to the story. The heart that is committed to the Lord can also be made to appear Godly on the outside. The person under those coverings isn’t smothered or minimized, simply improved and transformed from the inside out, and in the process, takes on the appearance of salvation and righteousness. Accessorized.
Now, we can wear all the jewelry and scarves we want, but that stain on our shirt will still be there until we wash it. Maybe others will see the stain, maybe they won’t, but no amount of covering will make it go away.
The same principle applies to God’s coverings. I once lived a pattern of sin. It went like this: disobey God, then do something obedient, then repeat. This pattern did nothing to make me more presentable to God or those around me. It didn’t help me grow or realize my potential. What it did was keep me in a pattern of covering up. Matthew 23: 27-28 says that Jesus saw the religious leaders of His day as being righteous on the outside but hypocrites and dead on the inside. We can’t cover ourselves to conceal what Jesus already knows, we have to repent and let Him cover us.
Beyond accepting Jesus as our Savior, how do we allow this Holy accessorizing to take place? I found some answers in the description of the Proverbs 31 woman. I read through the description of this woman and here is how I would describe her: trustworthy, willing, giving, loving, thoughtful, strong, careful, generous, provider, available, gifted, competent, and beautiful. I think in order to display all of this, she must have had a heart committed to the effort of being godly, not just appearing that way.
I want to be like that Proverbs 31 woman. I want to let God accessorize my outside to match what He’s done on the inside. And, hopefully, I’ll do it while occasionally wearing some fun, sparkly things.
Reflection
Read Proverbs 31: 10-31. List any virtues or characteristics of the woman described that stand out to you.
Ask God to reveal to you which characteristics or virtues He wants you to use right now. Write what you feel He is saying to you.
List 2 ways you can display those characteristics or virtues to those around you.
Goals
Plan 2-3 steps you can take in the next week to begin accomplishing the things you listed in #3 above:What three things can you do to prepare yourself before going to social gatherings?
Whoever has the gift of comforting others should do that. Whoever has the gift of giving to help others should give generously. Whoever has the gift of leading should work hard at it. Whoever has the gift of showing kindness to others should do it gladly. (Romans 12:8 ERV)