'Clothes Makes the Person'

[Here's another great message by my colleague, Glen VanderKloot. You can receive daily emailed inspirations from Glen by sending an email to this address: olwf1@gliq.net. Type SUBSCRIBE in the subject line.]

Henri Duvernois wrote a short story called Clothes Make the Man. It is the story of Tango, part of a three person band of thieves. They were planning a robbery of a safe in a very affluent neighborhood. The other two members, Mareault and Eel, had cased it thoroughly.

Their plan was for Tango to dress as a police officer and walk up and down the street, easy and slow, like a real cop on his beat. Then if anyone heard the other two, no one would be suspicious. That's all Tango had to do.

Tango put on the police uniform. He felt uncomfortable, after all he was usually running from the police. But when he looked in the mirror, he was impressed. He looked good.

At the scene of the robbery, Tango was a little nervous walking to the street, but nothing happened. So he began walking up and down the street as he was told. As he turned the corner to walk around the block, he saw a police lieutenant coming toward him. He was filled with panic and wanted to run. With tremendous effort he restrained himself and continued walking toward the lieutenant. When Tango was just a few feet from the lieutenant, Tango saluted him. The lieutenant casually saluted him back.

That gave Tango confidence as he continued his job of walking up and down the street. After a few more trips, he found an elderly lady hesitating at the corner. She made two or three false starts to get across the street and each time turned back.

Tango walked up to her and offered her his arm. With dignity he walked her across to the other side. She said…

"Thank you so much, officer."

Tango replied…

"That's what we're here for."

Tango went back down the block. Emotions were stirring in him. In all of Paris there was not a more perfect example of a calm, strong guardian of the law.

Next he came across a drunk and Tango tried to hurry him along. The drunk became belligerent and Tango grabbed him as if to arrest him. As he was doing that his two partners in crime came out of the house. They were shocked to see what Tango was doing and yelled at him to quit.

Tango then remembered the lieutenant returning his salute, the elderly lady's gratitude, and his splendid image in the mirror. He stood tall as he stuffed the shiny whistle in his mouth and blew and blew and blew long enough to bring all the police in Paris. He called out…

"Crooks, robbers! I arrest you. I arrest you in the name of the law."

Tango became the police officer he was dressed as. He became who he acted to be. We can become who we act to be.

On our own, we are like Tango. We're not professional crooks, but we're sinners. In God's eyes, there are no degrees of sin. A sin is a sin is a sin.

However, we can do what Tango did. St. Paul wrote….

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. (Colossians 3:12 NIV)

Even though those attributes are not natural for us, we can put them on. We can clothe ourselves with Christ-like actions and attitudes. We can act in Christ-like ways even if we do not feel it. Attitude often follows action. In the mean time, fake it `til you make it.

As we grow and mature in the faith, we can become compassionate, kind, humble, gentle and patient. We have to work at until they become natural.

In the movie Dave, the Secret Service need a double for the president. Dave looks just like him. So Dave plays the role of president. He wasn't the president. But Dave faked it. He played the role of president until he felt presidential, until it became natural for him.

It does not matter if we feel compassionate. We can act with compassion.

It does not matter if we feel kind. We can be kind to others.

It does not matter if we feel humble. We can be humble.

It does not matter if we feel gentle. We can be gentle.

It does not matter if we feel patient. We can be patient.

As followers of Christ, loved and forgiven by God, we can do all those things.

As we keep acting in those ways, the Spirit of God transforms us. St. Paul wrote…

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV

Clothing ourselves with attributes of Christ means that we act like Christ even before we feel Christ-like.

AA advises their members to fake it `til you make it'.

Counselors often advise couples who have fallen out of love, to act as if they were in love until they are in love once again.

Often action precedes attitude. So…

When feeling no passion, be passionate.
When feeling no love, be loving.
When feeling superior, be humble.
When feeling detached, be compassionate.
When feeling unkind, be kind.
When feeling annoyed, be patient.
When feeling harsh, be gentle.
When feeling bitter, forgive.
When feeling upset, be calm.

Fake it `til you make it. Clothe yourself with the attributes of Christ. Clothes make the person. The clothing of the Christ makes you Christ-like. Fake it `til you make it. Amen