You may have seen the vintage Facebook post of 3 little girls all dressed up; the caption says something like, “Remember when we dressed up for Easter?” Though it’s black and white, I imagine pretty pastel dresses with white lace ankle socks, shiny white shoes, a matching purse being held by clean white gloves. There may even be a beautiful Easter bonnet atop a head of dainty curls. Dressed for Easter! I fondly remember a favorite pink laced dress of my own. Yes, Easter was a special occasion that called for your wearing your best!
A sermon I heard recently focused on Colossians 3:12-17. As the Pastor read the words, I thought; “Aha! Dress for Easter!”
“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, and patience, forbearing one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.”
As children of God, we are holy and loved. Easter is a great time to remember what Jesus did for us on the cross. His perfect life, given for us so that we could live for him! So these words in Colossians remind me to dress for the occasion. Jesus gave his all for me. Therefore, I can put on compassion, that I might see others through his eyes. I will wear kindness, and when I feel like saying, “I told you so!” I will bite my tongue instead. Meekness and patience will adorn my feet. Forgiveness can be my automatic response when I’ve been hurt or wronged. Why do I want to do that? Because Christ our Lord has forgiven me. Above all, I’ll put on love so that I can live in harmony with Jesus and others.
The verses in Colossians continue:
“And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as you teach and admonish one another in all wisdom, and as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
These words in Colossians speak to a higher calling. They challenge me to walk in the peace of Christ, with a thankful heart. As the Word of Christ dwells within us, we can live well with one another. It’s the evidence of whose children we are. As children of God, we can choose to put on attitudes that reflect Christ.
Dressed for Easter! As an adult, this Scripture is even more special than the pink laced dress of my past. Not just for Easter, but for every day. For we are to live holy lives, set apart for God’s purposes.
Dear Jesus, thank you for your work on the cross. You have washed me in righteousness. May the daily choices I make reflect you. May I always choose to act in a way that honors you! You bless me, Lord. Thank you for your grace and mercy. Amen.
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