Yesterday morning I felt a bit like Joseph, like the Biblical Joseph dressed in his coat of many colours.
Although I never spend time co-ordinating my walking outfit, this morning I was particularly conscious of its uniqueness. It began with my finally getting my ancient but trusty sewing machine freshly oiled and operating a couple of weeks ago. As I ventured back into the world of mending, the second project I鈥檇 tackled was shortening and re-hemming my faded but still discernibly-blue track pants. The top to the set happened to be in the laundry basket so I substituted a purple sweat shirt; an emerald green vest ensured I鈥檇 be warm in the face of a biting wind. I added the bright red cap given me by a friend. The outfit was complimented by slate blue socks and a genuinely-navy-blue hooded jacket. I soon realized that I was unintentionally a multi-coloured specimen.
鈥淎h, no problem,鈥� I reassured myself, 鈥渘o one is going to notice and besides, the jacket and pants are nearly the same colour.鈥� I was right. During the forty minutes it takes me to complete my daily 3,409 metres (2.12 miles), no one notices or takes interest in how I look. Like me, they just concentrate on their trek around the track.
While there鈥檚 no need to coordinate clothing colours with my internal goal of keeping fit, it鈥檚 a whole different matter when it comes to living out my Christian life and, while it doesn鈥檛 matter if colours match, it sure makes a difference if my talk and my walk send different messages.
鈥淒oes a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives or a grapevine bear figs?鈥� (James 3:11, 12)
鈥淭he highway of the upright is to depart from evil.鈥� (Proverbs 16:17)
