Several months ago I needed a new pair of jeans. My favorite pair had become unwearable. My first mistake was going to look for new jeans by myself. I usually take one of my teen daughters with me, as I tend to panic when I shop by myself and make questionable purchases. This situation was no different.
My second mistake was going into a store that I used to shop for jeans at 20 years ago, but now only those 20 and younger shop there. I believe I look young for 45 years old, but the people in the store weren’t buying it. They looked at me like I was their grandpa and didn’t belong there. Well, that made me even more determined to prove them wrong.
My third mistake was going to the sale rack. That is usually a good idea in stores that are made for you. In stores that cater to someone half your age, it extremely narrows your options...and for me, it encouraged the inner deal seeker that my mom instilled in me.
The fourth mistake was believing the lie that says, “Since it’s on sale, it must be for you.” Oh, if my daughters were with me, they would have saved me from what happened next.
The fifth mistake was believing another lie that says, "I know only young people are wearing this, but that doesn’t mean that I can’t.” That is when I took to the dressing room a pair of skinny jeans. Don’t you dare judge me! I was alone...out of my element...and the people’s stares in the store fueled the fire of my rebellion. If you don’t know what skinny jeans are, then you shouldn’t step into this store either. For you, my advice would be to stay with the same jeans you have worn for years. It’s much safer!
What happened next confirmed all my mistakes. The first confirmation was the face of the young cashier. He looked at the jeans, then looked at me, and then couldn’t make eye contact again. If that wasn’t bad enough, I flustered him so much that he forgot to take the security tag off the jeans. As I thought I was about ready to escape the stares of judgment, the security alarm went off and every eye in the store was on the 45 year old who just bought his first and last pair of skinny jeans.
I am grateful that all experiences of getting new clothes are not like this. My favorite moment in history of someone getting new clothes is when Jesus left His grave clothes and put on His resurrection clothes. “Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus’ head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen.” (John 20:6-7)
Because Jesus left His grave clothes and walked in the newness of life as our Resurrected King, we as well can walk beyond the grave clothes of sin and be continually transformed into the likeness of Christ. “And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on the character of Christ, like putting on new clothes.” (Galatians 3:27 NLT)