Clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans 13:14
Something that's becoming is attractive. I blushed when I received the compliment, “That dress is becoming on you!” Little did the admirer know that several weeks ago when I put on the dress, it was too tight to wear. I struggled to put it on and struggled to take it off. It wasn’t pretty.
Wearing godliness is a struggle. Godliness is not something you put on and put off like a Sunday dress. It looks good on us on Sundays, but is uncomfortable to wear on Saturday night.
Titus 2:12 says, Say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.
We will never live a godly life as long as we allow worldly passions to sustain and satisfy us presenting a false comfort that dulls our desire to please God.
Though God has given unto us all things that pertain to life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3), it is not adorned without putting forth an effort. 2 Peter 1:5-7 says: Make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.
One of my favorite stories is about a little girl who was three who was having difficulty with putting on her dress and had a hard time pulling the sleeves down. Her aunt asked her if she could help her put her dress on. “Oh, never mind,” she said, “My father usually lets me struggle.” What kind of father is that? A wise one who knows the importance of struggle in the process of growth.
Struggling is a good sign that the Holy Spirit is working to conform you to the image of Jesus. If you are a Christian, and godliness is not a struggle, the answer to why can be found in the following scriptures:
2 Peter 1:3: His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him.
Hosea 4:6: My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
Proverbs 1:7: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Philippians 3:8: Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ.
Colossians 1:10: That you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.
2 Peter 3:18: But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.
I never will forget the time my Sunday School teacher, Pastor Burton, surprised the class with a pop quiz when we arrived that morning. I failed the quiz. I was ashamed that I came to church every Sunday, but did not know God’s Word like I should.
Failing the quiz changed my life. Memorizing scriptures became significant as we were taught to “study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).
What kind of teacher gives a test to his Sunday School class? A teacher who understands the power of knowing God and His Word will have on our lives.
Prayer: Lord, I want to make a better effort to become more like Jesus and adorn His character. Let godliness be so becoming on me that it draws others to you.