Dressed Up?

 Back to the retreat, I went walking near the water, and soon #1 showed up. He had his knapsack with him and was planning to do some journalling or drawing. He wanted to know if it was ok to take off his shoes. By all means take them off!

 Doesn't it feel better to be out of those trappings? Perhaps we have too much HillBilly in us, but it just seems unnatural to cover those feet up all of the time. It reminded me of Colossians 3.

Don't lie to one another. You're done with that old life. It's like a filthy set of ill-fitting clothes you've stripped off and put in the fire. Now you're dressed in a new wardrobe. Every item of your new way of life is custom-made by the Creator, with His label on it. All the old fashions are now obsolete. Words like Jewish and non-Jewish, religious and irreligious, insider and outsider, uncivilized and uncouth, slave and free, mean nothing. From now on everyone is defined by Christ, everyone is included in Christ.
So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It's your basic all-purpose garment. Never be without it.
Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. And cultivate thankfulness. Let the Word of Christ- the Message- have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct each other using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives- words, actions, whatever- be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.
Colossians 3 The Message