Clothes Make the Man

Daily Reading: 1 Peter 3

Scripture Focus: Let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious. (1 Peter 3.4)

Devotional Thought: Mark Twain once wrote, "Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society." That's a jarring thought, isn't it? Americans spend about $250 billion per year in clothing. We give a lot of thought to our outer adornment. What about inner adornment? What about the hidden person of the heart?

We've all known people who look good on the outside, but once we get "close" to them, we realize that inner beauty is lacking. Initially drawn to them, we discover that it is harder and harder to be around them. Of all people, Christians ought to have an inner beauty that draws people to them - and ultimately to Christ.

I wonder what this world would be like if we could go into our closets or open our dressers and pull out words and attitudes and behaviors that adorned the soul. Would there be a market for such a product? Would Americans spend $250 billion on that? Would Christians? We know, of course, the adornment of the soul is not a commodity we can purchase. It is when we clothe ourselves with Christ that we become beautiful on the inside.

What do we look like when adorned with Christ? Peter mentioned "a gentle and quiet spirit." The Apostle Paul said it considers others' needs above our own. I think we could add the fruit of the Spirit to that: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

It is true that clothes make the man or woman. But it's not the clothing on the outside. What are you wearing on the inside today?

Prayer: Jesus, you are beautiful to me. Help me to be clothed in you so that I may possess imperishable beauty. May my words, attitude, and behavior reflect your beauty in this world. Amen.

Psalm of the Day: 10 My God in his steadfast love will meet me; God will let me look in triumph on my enemies. 11 Kill them not, lest my people forget; make them totter by your power and bring them down, O Lord, our shield! 12 For the sin of their mouths, the words of their lips, let them be trapped in their pride. For the cursing and lies that they utter, 13 consume them in wrath; consume them till they are no more, that they may know that God rules over Jacob to the ends of the earth. Selah 14 Each evening they come back, howling like dogs and prowling about the city. 15 They wander about for food and growl if they do not get their fill. 16 But I will sing of your strength; I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning. For you have been to me a fortress and a refuge in the day of my distress. 17 O my Strength, I will sing praises to you, for you, O God, are my fortress, the God who shows me steadfast love. (Psalms 59:10-17)