Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.    Ephesians 6:11 NKJV

Often times we are known by our clothes. We wear uniforms so that people know where we work or what we do. When we see a soldier, firefighter, or police officer we know where they work and what they do. Years ago when someone wore what is known as scrubs, we knew they were a doctor. Nurses tended to wear white uniforms that were pants or perhaps even a dress, but doctors wore scrubs. Then nurses began to wear scrubs, and before long so did everyone else. Now many people in many professions wear scrubs and it doesn’t necessarily mean they work in a hospital or any type of medical setting.

When we see someone in scrubs, it’s like seeing someone in street clothes, we have no idea where they work or what they do.

You may ask why we are having this discussion about scrubs, so let me explain. We are clearly told in Ephesians 6:10-18 that we should daily put on the armor God has provided for us. We are to put on the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the helmet of salvation, the shield of faith, shoes to help us stand firm in the gospel of peace, and the only offensive weapon which is the Sword of the Spirit or God’s Word. As Christians, we have a uniform we are expected to wear on a daily basis.

In Exodus 28 when the Lord was giving instructions for the priestly garments, he told them several times if they failed to wear these garments while serving Him in the sanctuary they would die. Death was the punishment for failing to wear the priestly uniforms God had told them to wear. This sounds pretty severe, but God wanted them to understand the importance of their jobs.

When we see a soldier, we understand that his job is to protect our freedom. When we see a firefighter, we know that his job is to rescue us in case of a fire. When we see a policeman, we know that his job is to rescue us from danger. When we see someone striving for righteousness, their submission to Christ, their salvation worn as obvious as a hat on someone’s head, standing firm in peace when times are troubled, wielding God’s word in times of danger, we know they are a Christian. We understand the importance of their job. As Christians, it’s our job to show others what salvation looks like and if possible, lead them to the Lord.

So, when you go out and about each day to your job or wherever you go, are you dressed properly? Are you wearing the armor of God as your uniform? Even if you wear another uniform, you should still be wearing God’s armor. Or, do you just wear street clothes or scrubs so that no one has a clue what you do?

Now, I’m not putting anyone down who wears scrubs or street clothes to work. These days, I wear street clothes to work and I’m relieved to do so after years of wearing clothing that made my job obvious to others. It’s good to have the anonymity of street clothes.

As Christians, however, we don’t want anonymity, we want our job to be obvious. We want to be the beacon that shines for those in darkness. We want to be a safe place for those in danger. We want others to see that we lead a different kind of life, a life lived in peace and joy despite our circumstances. We want them to see that they too can have this if they surrender to Christ.

Whatever your vocation, remember you have a job to do as Christians. This job is to lead others to Christ. So, be sure others know you are a Christian. Let God’s armor show through whatever type of clothes you wear on a daily basis.

Have a great day!