THINK TOGETHER.
What clothes will you wear today?
READ TOGETHER
Proverbs 31:25a. Strength and dignity are her clothing.
When King Lemuel (or his mom) says that the excellent woman is wearing strength and dignity, what do you think it means? Do you think her actual clothes are being described? No. This is about her inner qualities, not her outer garments.
Strength – this word is mostly used in the Bible to describe God. People are strong when God is with them. God shares his strength with us as we trust in him.
Dignity – this word means to be honored or raised up. She is recognized for her hard work and her integrity (do you know what that word means?).
We tend to be way more concerned with our outer clothing than our inner clothing don’t we? Maybe you spent a lot of time picking out your clothes for today. Did you think about how they would make you look, or what other people might say about them? Do you want clothes that you know will make you look cool? Popular? Better looking on the outside?
In the New Testament, the Apostle Peter says something similar to today’s proverb. He tells women to not worry as much about what they wear on the outside as what they are like on the inside. “Let your adorning (clothing) be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious,” he says. That’s good advice for everyone, isn’t it?
But how do we wear a gentle and quiet spirit? How do we put on strength and dignity? The New Testament also tells us to put on Jesus, like clothing. He has already put his clothes of love and righteousness on us. We can let the love of Jesus be what makes us feel good about ourselves, not our clothing. The more we trust Jesus’ love for us, and his presence with us, the more we will begin to change from the inside out, and the less our outer clothing will be our source of pride.
Because of Jesus we are wearing his love and righteousness.
With Jesus we can wear the clothing of Jesus’ character.
DO SOMETHING TOGETHER
Have everyone model a favorite outfit. Why do you love these clothes? What “clothes” has Jesus given us to wear?
PRAY TOGETHER
Jesus, I am dressed in your “clothes.” Help me to think about what I am wearing on the inside way more than I worry about what to wear on the outside. Amen.
TLICfamily 