Christian Living

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Do Clothes Make The Man?
© 2006

by


Stephen A. Peterson


According to an old European saying, it is alleged that “clothes makes the man”. To test this thesis, a young soldier attending Cameron University, Lawton, Oklahoma decided to put the adage to the test. With the permission of the Post Commander, the soldier recruited a drunken derelict from the Lawton metropolitan area to participate in the study.

The purpose of the study was discussed with the vagrant who would earn five hundred dollars if he could convince other soldiers that he was an Army Colonel. Without hesitation he readily agreed to do what he was instructed and the study was put into effect. After the vagrant had been bathed, manicured, shaved and had his hair cut, he was fitted for a custom made Army officer green uniform. Then he was coached as to how he should act…speak with authority, return a military salute as well as who to salute and to limit his conversations to “good day, great to see you, you are doing well, outstanding, drive on, soldier; airborne…all the way!

For three days the bogus Colonel fooled everyone. By changing his appearance and demeanor, he seemingly proved that good grooming, good clothing and coaching, especially clothing, do seem to make the man.

NOTE: It was reported, he was, he was spotted on the fourth day, still wearing the Army Class A uniform except for the coat sprawled in the doorway in a downtown Lawton hotel inebriated. He had been transformed on the outside. However, on the inside he was the person before the experiment.

Jesus told of the futility of such a sham. He said that men never put new wine in old wineskins “else the container breaks, and the wine is lost. Rather new wine is placed in new wineskins. When new wineskins are utilized the wine is preserved and can be drunk to the pleasure of those who partake of it.

The point of this story is: Through Christ, by faith, we become new creatures alive and vibrant the wholesome life giving grace…first on the inside and then on the outside.

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