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Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Do clothes really make the man?

For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven, inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked.
 - 2 Corinthians 5:2-3 (NASB)

Today is confession day. In the 1980's and 90's, I was a bit of a clothes horse. Maybe I was celebrating the end of the 70's, and was overjoyed that I could do away with platform shoes and nylon shirts with Tony Manero-inspired designs.

Nylon, long, pointed collars...you know

The 80's was a dangerous time to be a fashion plate. There were several trends that, thankfully, didn't stand the test of time...I'm looking at you, leg warmers. No, I was into a more classic look for the most part, but I did integrate enough of the 'now' stuff to make it cool. One of my big limitations was funding. You just can't dress out when you have a minuscule budget. I'm sure my mom wasn't the only one who said, "You've got champagne tastes on a beer budget."

So what's a young airman to do? First, I scored a nice tweed blazer. It had neutral colors so I could wear it with a lot of different ensembles. One area that I did, sort of, splurge on? Sergio Valente jeans.

Simple logo - tight jeans

For decades, people have realized that jeans are the ultimate fashion accessory. I could wear my Sergio's with a t-shirt, with a button-down, with a shirt and tie - with or without a blazer, with sneakers, with loafers...the options were nearly endless.

So why the fascination with clothes?

Besides the relatively modern trend of showing out, there is the basic need for us to be covered in polite society. 

Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings.

From the beginning, humans have been worried about their clothes. Some would say that Adam and Eve ruined it for all of us. If it weren't for that fruit incident, clothes would never have been an issue.

Other than clothes, a lot of people worry about their houses. I see pictures on Facebook and elsewhere that friends post up, which illustrate beautiful homes, or kitchens, or even bathrooms. We loves us some big houses, don't we?

In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.

Photo courtesy of McMullen Real Estate

In fact, Christians are looking forward to having the great Century 21 agent in the sky hand us the keys to our mansion, right? The other day I posted a blog about the passing of our friend Sister Mary. I quoted Revelation 21:4, which says, "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away."

So what could be more exciting to look forward to? We escape the pain, the tears, the heartache of this world, AND we get a big house. 

Wait a second...I'm not sure that's how it's going to work. Up at the top, I noted what Paul was talking about in 2 Corinthians chapter 5 - he was relating to us how, if we think about it, our eternal dwelling might not be the McMansion we are dreaming of. Instead, once we cast off our human bodies, as Sister Mary has, we will receive an imperishable one - the eternal body that we can look forward to.

To my non-Christian friends, this probably makes no sense at all. But if you believe that we each have a soul - something that makes us more than just a blob of water, tissue and epidermis - then that soul needs a dwelling once our time on this earth, and in this body, is finished.

What? No dress code?

Fortunately, once we get to Heaven, I don't think we will have to worry about the fashion mistakes we made in this life.

What do you think?

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