Would you say you have good fashion sense? Would others agree? Would you care? Style can be elusive because people wear certain types of clothing for different reasons. The fashionistas among us tend to find and express their identity through what they put on. The utilitarians among us might gladly sacrifice appearing trendy for comfort, protection and function. Some choose to adorn themselves with single-occasion gowns, while others exhaust the usefulness of the very last stitch in a favorite shirt. But regardless your sense of style, we can all acknowledge that clothes both cover and communicate – they protect and express who we are.

Having a bad sense of fashion isn’t the lack of adherence to what others suggest we should wear. Rather, it’s when we lack awareness about what outfit best matches our environment, season and identity. We have bad fashion sense when we unseasonably cover the wrong things and when we misrepresent our values, passions and sense of style by wearing something that makes us look like a walking contradiction.

In Colossians 3, Paul weighed in on the Church’s fashion sense and pleaded for a change of clothes. He asked everyone to stop wearing anger, rage, malice, slander, abusive language and lies. These “clothing” items misrepresented Christ’s style – Jesus wouldn’t have been caught dead in them.  Paul implored us all to have better fashion sense; to reach into the closet and pull out compassion, kindness, gentleness, patience, forgiveness, love, peace and thankfulness.

These virtues are not only the right brand, they’re not only the right trend, they’re not only the best expression of our tribe, they’re also the most appropriate covering for our souls in whatever season or environment we find ourselves in.

When you go out in public, are you wearing the right clothes? Have you forgotten to dress appropriately for work – forgetting that anger and rage are over-the-top on a casual Friday? Have you picked an unseasonable outfit for an outing with a neighbor or friend – zipping up some slander on a sunny day? Have you been caught on social media outlets with an outdated style – blinging out some abusive language?

This week, make it a rhythm of your life to have better fashion sense – to choose to clothe yourself each day with a spiritual outfit that best represents and protects your soul.

Remind yourself each day that what you wear is a choice between two outfits. You can either go with the old look – anger, rage, malice, slander, abusive language and lies – or you can have better fashion sense and button up some compassion, kindness, gentleness, patience, forgiveness, love, peace and thankfulness.