What are you wearing?

12Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

Colossians 3

I read this scripture to our youth this Sunday, and we talked about each word and what it meant. I posed the question after discussing these words-- "so how are we doing with that?" Sadly, in my world it doesn't seem like any of us are doing to well with that. It seems that suburbian culture has bred a new line of apparel that looks more like what's in it for me, I can be better than you, don't get in my way, and I want it now. Compassion is an afterthought; a good way to kill some time or make ourselves believe that we're doing something good for the world. It usually takes the form of enabling others to recreate themselves in our image rather than bringing them closer to the image of God.

When Jesus said it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven, I wonder if maybe he really meant it. Not as hyperbole or metaphor, but maybe he really meant it. I hope to ask myself how I'm doing with this frequently. Does my flesh show compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience? Not usually.

So for now, maybe it would be better for me to clothe myself with Christ before giving up on a world that is adorned with self.