Do clothes make the man?

“Mom! You’re not going to let him wear that, are you?” This was a question that rang out in our house several times a week from the time Cayce reached about twelve years old until Jamie left for college…about ten years. I freely admit that, when fashion sense was being handed out, I was MIA. So, for the last thirty plus years, I have bought very few articles of clothing for myself…maybe not even one.  Can’t even remember one time.

Even the things that have been bought for me … that are acceptable fashion, I seem to either keep much too long or wear together with something else that makes them both unacceptable. It seems that shirts, pants, belts, socks, and shoes are somehow supposed to “go together.” Not to even mention caps.

For years, after the girls left home, Diane would politely ask questions as I would start to leave the house. Questions like: “Do you think that shirt collar has lost it’s shape?” Or: “Is that a hole in those shorts?”  Or: “Do you think those brown shoes are the right ones to wear with those black slacks?” Most times I would just shrug and go on. To the point that she recently sat me down and made me agree that if she asks one of those polite questions, I am to immediately go and change that article of clothing…no questions, no comments, no excuses…just go change it.

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I don’t often notice what others are wearing either. When someone asks: “Oh my, did you see what that woman was wearing?”…my usual response is: “Uh…no. What woman?”

I find that there is now a term “Power Dressing “. I even saw an article recently on the Internet: “7 Power Dressing Tips; How to dress for work.” Seriously? I doubt that these people know anything about clothes having real power. And, I’m pretty sure that if you see me out somewhere, you would say I dress for comfort, not for power.

It is interesting that when Jesus sent his disciples out, he told them not to even take a change of clothes. ( Mark 6:9 ) But his own cloak was instrumental in showing us important truths. ( Mark 5:25-34; Mark 6:56 )

If you haven’t read Mark 5: 25-34 recently, here it is.

Mark 5:25-34 ²⁵And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. ²⁶She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. ²⁷When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, ²⁸because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” ²⁹Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering. ³⁰At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?” ³¹“You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?’ ” ³²But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. ³³Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. ³⁴He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.” NIV

It’s amazing how that simple act of faith, exhibited by touching his clothing, resulted in healing. That’s real power. The power of the one whose voice can calm the sea;  the power of the one who heals the sick and raises the dead; the power of the creator of the universe,  is around us, is available for us.  Available to strengthen us; available to heal us.

I want to be one with enough faith to reach out and touch him. That’s all it takes…faith enough to act. I don’t want to be one who is in the crowd, close enough to touch him and receive his power, but who fails to do so.

Obviously, the clothing itself had no power. But His power … it is so available if only I will reach out. There is a big difference between just being like the rest of the crowd, and reaching out in faith in order to receive his power to heal my soul.  If I will just take the step to touch the hem of his robe.

Will you just be part of the pressing crowd today? Or will you humble yourself, recognize your need, then reach out in faith to receive his power?

Maybe my lack of fashion sense isn’t so important. Maybe faith makes the man. Maybe the man makes the clothes.

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