You can only imagine the amount of laundry 6 people generate. Because of this, my wife tells us to make sure the clothes are "really dirty" before putting them in the hamper. It drives my wife crazy when anyone changes clothes several times a day without a good reason. She knows this only increases the amount of laundry...and she doesn't enjoy doing laundry.Today I read a passage where I'm told to change more often...
"..seeing that you have stripped off the old self...and have clothed yourselves with the new self." (Col 3:9-10 NRSV)
Stripping and clothing. That's a choice I need to make everyday. Actually, I need to make it many times each day. Thoughts come to mind, decisions need to be made, actions must be taken...and I must choose to either respond with my "new self" or my "old self". It is a choice I must make. No one can make it for me.
All too often I don't make the right one and I act according to my "old self". When I leave my "old self" on, my relationships, ministry and heart suffers.
Other times I choose to strip off the "old" and clothe myself with the "new" that God is creating. It's amazing how different my perspective is when I live with my "new self" on.
Then there are those times when I make the choice to strip off the "old" but I never choose to put on the "new". I end up like the emperor who had no clothes on. I think a lot of people live 'naked'.
Despite what my wife may think...I need to change more often.
