|
Christ, from whom all blessings flow,
perfecting the saints below,
hear us, who thy nature share,
who thy mystic body are.
Join us, in one spirit join,
let us still receive of thine;
still for more on thee we call,
thou who fillest all in all.
John Wesley, 1740, The United Methodist Hymnal, Stanzas 1-2, "Christ From Whom All Blessings Flow, no. 550, 1989.
What we wear, we invest attention in, hopefully. Hopefully, we realize maturely that the style of our clothing speaks to our character. For someone to say, "I'll wear what I want. That's my right. It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks," speaks of selfishness, pride, and lack of appreciation for the community one is part of. Clothing speaks loudly about character. We do not have the right to wear what we want, regardless, or say what we want, regardless. If we lived in a society that took that as a mature principle, there would be more chaos than there already is. And, certainly, the Christian can find nothing in the Gospel or human decency to assume such individual freedom--which is nothing other than being a slave to errant passions.
So, I ask you: What style of clothes do you wear? Listen to Colossians 3.12 (CJB):
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with feelings of compassion and with kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
Do you belong to God? Have you chosen the blessed Son as your Friend and Truth? Do you wish to be sensitive and responsive to the inner graces of the sweet Holy Spirit? Do you claim to be dearly loved by the Triune Godhead? Do you claim, or long to be, a truly holy person, sanctified to the love of Christ? Then, the clothing of your disposition is of vital importance, and you cannot--and will not want to--think and act as you wish, regardless. No!
So, the spiritual clothing of the Christian speaks to his or her character. If we give attention to what we wear daily as a covering for the body, then how much more should we give attention to our disposition of heart and mind daily? Do persons see you and Christ when they see you, or do they just see you?
|
|
What is the disposition of one infused by the sweet but demanding Holy Spirit--possibly we have become too casual about holiness and come to believe in a Spirit that is permissive and does not expect much of us at all? We are to wear as the attire of holiness the feelings of compassion, kindness, humbleness, gentleness, and patience. A man or woman may even claim great spiritual insight or vision, or other spiritual manifestations, but if he or she does not wear the garment of the Spirit, then, that person is immature and not ready even to begin sharing the spiritual riches given by the blessed Christ.
Our Prayer of Quiet and Spirit Disciplines are indirect attacks upon passions of the heart that captivate and control, and spread deadly, ugly stench even within churches. And, if the clothing of the Spirit of Holiness is as in the Colossians passage, why is there so much rancor, factionalism, meanness, unforgiveness, ungraciousness, blabber mouthing, and selfishness tyrannizing so many churches?
One sure test of the genuineness of Contemplative Prayer and Living is transformation of passions into virtues. And among these virtues is a disposition emanating, for the blessing of all others, compassion, kindness, humbleness, gentleness, and patience.
If the contemplative is not growing in this attire, then, he or she may be sitting quietly, but such is not communing with the Spirit. However, this same can be applied to all Christians and all forms of worship and prayer, can it not? The church that does not wear the clothing of the Spirit, is it not a church that knows little--if anything--of the Holy Spirit and is only a group of religious persons--even even that--cut off from the Fount of Grace?
*OneLife writings are offered by Brian K. Wilcox, a United Methodist pastor serving in the Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church. He writes in the spirit of John Wesley's focus on the priority of inner experience of the Triune God; scriptural holiness; ongoing sanctification; the goal of Christian perfection (or, wholeness). Brian seeks to integrate the best of the contemplative teachings of Christianity East and West, from the patristic Church to the present. Brian lives a vowed contemplative life with his two dogs, Bandit Ty and St. Francis, in North Florida. OneLife writings are for anyone seeking to live and share love, joy, and peace in the world and in devotion to God as she or he best understands God.
|
