Oakwood Church Fresh Start Women's Devotional Encouragement for Today Hartland Delafield

Designer Uniforms
By Karen D’Amore

“But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, He will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”
Galatians 5:22-23 (NLT)

“Fruit of the Spirit” is a biblical term that sums up nine of the visible attributes of a true follower of Christ. It’s the physical manifestation of the believer’s transformed life; a life emulating the character of Christ. “So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you; compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline” (Colossians 3:12,The Message). Scripture teaches that as “new creations in Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:17), we are recognized by our fruit (Matthew 7:16). Therefore, we are instructed to clothe ourselves in a spiritual wardrobe, chosen by Jesus, to showcase Him. Just as doctors, soldiers and athletes are recognized by their uniforms and must dress the part, so must the follower of Christ. The believer’s uniform must set him/her apart as a recognizable member of the family of Christ.

As a police officer, I was mandated to dress the part. Wearing a uniform which distinguished me as a member of the Long Beach Police Department, I was entrusted with the responsibility of showcasing the integrity of the Department. Feeling strongly that the officers’ uniforms reflected its image, the Department frequently conducted impromptu inspections. Expecting officers to “shine” for the Department, they scrutinized our uniforms from head to toe. As high-ranking officers conducted formal para-military inspections, the first article examined was our shoes. Because we were required to walk in a manner worthy of our entrusted authority, the inspector strained to see his image reflecting in the mirror-like finish of our spit-shined shoes. Working his way up the uniform, a white-gloved finger swiped the surface of the badge…looking for it to be tarnish-free, glistening with a Brasso-finished shine.

As public figures constantly under the community’s watchful eye, we wore uniforms that reflected our commitment to a code of ethics and the oath we swore to uphold. As Christ-followers, we are continually under the watchful eye of the world. As we put on our “Designer Uniforms” we must “walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work…” (Colossians 1:10a NKJV).

Let’s become “fruit inspectors” and examine ourselves daily. As we inspect ourselves from head to toe, may our uniforms shine and reflect the image of Jesus with:

Love
Joy
Peace
Patience
Kindness
Goodness
Faithfulness
Gentleness
Self-control

GOING DEEPER:
1. Which attribute(s) are you struggling to keep tarnish-free? What steps do you need to take for this part of the Spirit’s fruit to shine?

FURTHER READING:
Philippians 2:5-8; John 15:8

Married to Dan, Karen is a retired police officer and is currently a Nail Technician at Craig Berns. She is the administrator for Oakwood’s Tuesday a.m. Bible Study and a volunteer at the Wildlife In Need Center.