Most women that I know love to get a new outfit or a new pair of shoes. Some women even collect clothes like a collector of works of art might. We all love to score a good find and if we can get it on sale, so much the better. The ladies of our church celebrate one another successes at Frenchy’s as personal victories. Once a year we make a Frenchy’s run where we try to get to as many Frenchy’s stores in one day as we can. We all look for items for each others families and love to try on goofy looking combinations. It is a day spent together, searching for clothes and good bargains.
While we have fun shopping and acquiring new things, that can’t always be our focus. In fact the Bible tells us not to worry about things like that.
“Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?” (Mt 6:31 AV)
“(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.” (Mt 6:32 AV)
God has promised to always care for us, His children. Just like we give clothes to our children when they go to school or church, so will God give us the things we need. He will not see His children do without the necessities of life.
So if we are not to worry about our clothes or what we are going to eat, what should our focus be? I believe that our focus should be on the inner person instead of the outward appearance.
“But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for [the LORD seeth] not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.” (1Sa 16:7 AV)
If God is looking at our heart, then we must make sure that our heart is cleaned and pressed so to speak. Just like we take care of our clothes and make sure the wrinkles are ironed out and they are clean and in good repair, so too do we need to keep our hearts in proper condition.
Our hearts need to be free of the dirt that can collect on them. The dirt of gossip, the dirt of lies and jealousy, and the dirt of any sin that can separate us from our Heavenly Father. So just like you probably look over your wardrobe at the beginning of each season to be sure it is ready to be worn, lets take the time this season to look over our hearts and ask the Lord if there are any spots or tears that need mending. Let our desire be to have a pure heart.
“He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.” (Ps 24:4 AV)“He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.” (Ps 24:5 AV)
If we have a pure heart we shall receive the blessings from the Lord. What a wonderful promise. So while we enjoy the fun of getting a new outfit, let our focus be on getting a new heart, one that is pleasing to God.
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