Christian Living

GOING TO WORK NAKED

by GLENN PEASE
12/03/21
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I suppose many can think of a dream they have had of being naked in some public situation, and feeling extremely embarrassed. Seldom to never, however, do we feel embarrassed when we are spiritually naked in public. We go off into our daily world with no thought of how we are dressed. When we go to any special event we give a great deal of thought as to how we dress. We want to fit in and not be overdressed when all others are casual, and not casual when all others are in formal wear. We want to be dressed for the occasion in proper garments. But we seldom consider the garments that make us properly clothed in the eyes of God. We only care about what people think of our outfits. The result is, we often leave for work each day basically naked in the eyes of God.

When you get out of bed and get dressed for the day, how often do you think of clothing yourself with what Paul demands that we do in Colossians 3:12 "Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience." That is five more levels than we usually think about, and so when we stop with our usual one to three levels, we are more than half naked when we leave the house and go off to work.

We are like soldiers of the cross who are marching into spiritual warfare without our weapons, and so it is no surprise that we often fail to win the battle. What chance do we have when we face a fully armed enemy when we are basically butt naked. We face our day with all kinds of irritation and aggrevations to cause us to respond in negative ways that offend and hurt those around us. We are not thinking of pleasing our Lord, because we are unclothed with those garments that keep us aware of his presence.

From the blog, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home, "The clothing of spiritual beauty is much more beautiful than the cashmere sweaters, the silk dress, the leather skirt, the diamond studded belt---that moth and rust can destroy, for many reasons. Our spiritual clothing is beautiful in the eyes of our Lord for He is the great designer of it---and as others see it, they will see that it is the fruit of God's work in us."

If no one ever tells you that you are kind, you are walking around naked and unclothed with the garments of godliness, and especially the shirt or skirt of kindness. Your spiritual wardrobe is locked in a closet that you seldom open on a daily basis. You may take out a garment or two for Sunday, but you go off without a stitch of it the rest of the week. Working naked is what you are doing, and the shame of it is, you don't even feel embarrassed.

I like the testimony of one called gfccbrother on his blog:"As I had a very bad day at work yesterday; I found myself doing some of these very things: anger, and temper, bad attitude, and selfishness. As I start a new day, I repent and commit to do the things God wants me to do: cloth myself with mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. I will be forgiving, and loving; and most of all, I'll be thankful to my Lord and God. Sometimes we stumble in life, but God picks us up and hugs us and says He loves us and sends us on our way. If you haven't done it like myself recently, thank God for His mercy and kindness towards you. Then get up and serve Him even more today than you did yesterday."

Stop going to work naked. You might not feel it, but everyone will know you forgot to dress according to your spiritual designer. They sense you are walking around with nothing but the rags of human fraility and fallibility instead of the glorious garments of godly grace that are pleasing in the eyes of God, and give pleasure as well to the eyes of the people you meet each day. Why not make Col.
3:12 one of your favorite verses, and go off each day having prayed to be clothed with these 5 wonderful garments that will make you a pleasure to both God and man even in stressful situations?

A Christian mother was shocked, when after a day of irritability, she heard her child pray at bedtime, "Dear God, make mommy be kind to us like she is to people we visit." Parents often forget the importance of kindness in raising their children. John Drescher in his book, Spirit Fruit, which is the best book available on the fruits of the Spirit, quotes many authorities. One is Dr. William Bede McGrath, Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association who said, "Ninety percent of all mental illness that comes before me could have been prevented, or could yet be cured, by simple kindness." Then he quotes Amy R. Raabe-

Scattered seeds of kindness

Everywhere you go;

Scatter bit of courtesy-

Watch them grow and grow.

Gather buds of friendship;

Keep them till full-blown.

You will find more happiness

Than you have ever known.

Your own happiness, as well as that of others, is wrapped up in this fruit of kindness. Fruit is not only good for physical health, it is also essential for spiritual health.

Charlie Shedd, in his marriage enrichment material, has been telling couples for decades that one of the keys to a happy marriage is the kindness of complimenting your mate every day. John Drescher saw this strategy work even in the work place. He tells of the secretary who went to work for an executive who was notorious for his critical spirit. He kept a secretary for about two months at best. She needed this job bad, and though it was torture to endure him, she decided to move up the next step from patience to kindness. She decided she would pay the old goat a compliment every day. It was not easy, but every day she found some little thing to compliment him about. They were simple things like, "That is nice material in your suit sir." It took time, but his hard heart softened, and this secretary by kindness made him a lovable enough man to marry. He became her husband, not just her boss, by the power of kindness.

In the light of this reality let us stop going to work naked, or any other place without clothing ouselves with kindness.