Sunday, August 17, 2003
Sunday, August 17, 2003
Do not lie to one another, 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.
Well, the idea originally came from an ancient Greek philosopher named Pyrrho. He honestly
believed that the sensory world didn't exist. He thought all he saw around him was just a
projection of his mind. He told everybody that they shouldn't worry about things. Nothing actually
existed anyway. Well, the townspeople got a kick out of that. And one day they got the laugh of a
lifetime. Here was Pyrrho, who said nothing really existed out there, and he was running down
the street, chased by a rather vicious dog! In a desperate move, he grabbed hold of a tree
branch, and swung himself up to safety. And the crowds gathered around, and they called up to
him, "Hey, Pyrrho! Why are you running from a dog that doesn't even exist?" And Pyrrho
shrugged his shoulders, and told them, "It's difficult to put off the old man!" And ever since that
day, philosophers talked about putting off the old man, the old self, the old perspective, and
putting on the new way of life.
That's what Paul's talking about here. If you believe Jesus is in charge, if you confess that he's
Lord over Creation, then live as if that's the case!
(Colossians 3.9
NRSV)
True life is a choice as basic as changing clothes. Take off your old clothes, says Paul, and put
on the new ones! Take off your little perspectives, the way you'd naturally see things, and then
put on the clothes of a new perspective, the view of life from Christ's vantage point in heaven.
Paul says, "Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and
have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator."
What does that mean, in practical terms?
Loving God, help me to put on the nature of Christ everyday. Amen.
