What Would Jesus Wear?

Many of us have heard of WWJD (What Would Jesus Do?) but how about WWJW (What Would Jesus Wear?)  Check out this actual toy , on the right, that is sold in stores.  I first thought this was a joke, but then I saw that you can buy this doll action figure for about $15.  Based on this action figure, Jesus would wear just about anything.  Including a 80’s boom box stereo (look close in the back ground)  I’m glad to see a cross is there.  I think.

Some may see this as sacrilegious, but I think it is a point of reference for commentary in our culture.  No longer is Jesus off limits from commercialization.  Sure “Christian” businesses make money of Jesus related digs, but now we see secular businesses making money off Jesus’ likeness. Trademark infringement anyone?

The likeness of Jesus and his apparel may not seem critically important to the average person.  Christ spoke a few times about clothing, but never clear on what to wear.  There are references to sharing clothing and being watchful of the Pharisees wearing their religious clothing in order to be seen.

Should we be concerned with what we wear?

Yes and no.  We should seek some sort of modesty in our clothing, but I’m not calling for a new WWJW slogan. I think we need to examine what we wear in the spiritual sense. In our lectionary scripture for Sunday from Colossians  3, Paul speaks of wearing a new mantel in Christ:

So, if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is… Put to death, therefore, whatever in your is earthly…  seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator.

So, if Paul instructs us to be “clothed” with a new self, I contend that we must “clothe” ourselves so that others see Christ in us.  Does this mean we should wear Jesus t-shirts, wooden crosses, and Jesus sandals everyday?  Not exactly.  It means that people should see who Christ is through the way we talk and act. We should clothe ourselves with the things that are Christ’s: love, peace, kindness, grace, mercy, patience, and humility.

If people only see in you hate, anger, self-centeredness, passive aggression, deceit, negativity, and always playing the role of the victim, then what does that say about Christians?  Christianity? The Church? God?  Christ?  It says that Christianity is filled with people who are self absorbed into their own needs.  What we “wear” communicates something about who we are.

How do you “wear” Christ?  How have you put your old ways away and put on a Christ-like “attire”? Are you one who is quick to judgment? Quick to anger? Quick to get your way? What does that say about who God is?  If the light of Christ is in us, why are we not living that way?

These questions must be answered, but only by you.  Only you can change you (aside from God). Only you can wear Christ for yourself, not for someone else.

How do you wear Christ?  Does it match your words?  Your actions?