What is your cover?
A common phrase from this generation is to “get real.” It is pretty natural to be one person in public, and another in private. It’s a cover. What’s your cover? Maybe a better question would be, “What are you trying to cover with?”
Wouldn’t it be a blessing to see the world through God’s eyes. What does He see? During my two trips to Africa, working with missionaries, I was able to see our culture a little more clearly. For three days my wife and I stayed with Asimwe and Angela, a precious Christian couple who have nothing in the world’s eyes and live in a mud hut. They sweep it clean every day (along with their dirt front yard). No pretensions. Nothing to hide. They were open about their struggles, their hopes, their sorrows, their victories. There is a realism, a genuineness that can only be experienced. The difference? – they had a different cover.
Without the distractions of so many things that complicate our lives, they didn’t have to protect themselves with as many pretensions. Yesterday Michael Medved shared a recent study that reported about 1 in 10 homes in America are inhabited by millionaires. America’s economy thrives; a blessing.
Materialsim?
Materialism is a blindness; a myopic lifestyle resulting from the combination of the accumulation of things, and the love for them. It is not the accumulation of things alone. How can our spiritual lives thrive in an environment saturated with things?
Some say the answer to that question is to take away the distractions of the affluent lifestyle. They become ascetics (monks and nuns). Others say the answer is in cultivating a mystical experience that helps you “rise above” the material.
I think the answer begins with an evaluation of our cover. Paul wrote that these earthly things with which we cover ourselves (our very bodies included) are tents; temporary. Our spiritual dissatisfaction does not indicate a need to shed the physical, temporary, but to “be clothed” with our spiritual dwellings. (2 Cor. 5:1-5) Ultimately, this will occur at the resurrection. In the meantime, how can we “be clothed” or “be covered” with a spiritual body.
The answer is in Christ.
In Ephesians 6, Paul told the Christians to “put on” the full armor of God. In other words, to “be covered” with it. There are six parts to the armor. By clothing ourselves with this armor we begin to put on the true cover.
1. “The Belt of Truth” (Eph. 6:14) What is Truth anyway? Volumes have been written to answer this question. Jesus probably answered it most succinctly, “I am the...truth.” (John 14:6) To know Jesus is to possess Truth. He is the “belt” that holds the rest of the armor together.
2. “The Breastplate of Righteousness” (Eph. 6:14b) Jesus has become our righteousness. (1 Cor. 1:30). Through the process of faith in Jesus we are considered righteous (Rom. 1:17) But that righteousness is further found in the example of Jesus Christ, an example we are commanded/privileged to follow.
3. “Feet fitted with readiness from the Gospel” (Eph. 6:15) The Gospel (good news) is all about Jesus Christ. Paul make is clear that the gospel is the fact that Jesus died, was buried, was raised, and proven raised by eyewitnesses all according to the prophecy of scripture (1 Cor. 15:1-8)
4. “Shield of Faith” (Eph. 6:16) That is, faith in Christ Jesus (1 Cor. 1:28)
5. “Helmet of Salvation” (Eph. 6:17) Luke recorded Peter saying that salvation can only be found in the name of Christ (Acts 4:12) We clothe ourselves with the saving power of Christ in faith and obedience through baptism (Gal. 3:26-27).
6. “Sword of the Spirit – the Word of God” (Eph. 6:17b) I love how John describes Jesus as the “Word of God” (John 1:1, 14) Jesus himself used “words” from God to battle Satan in the desert (Mat. 4:1-11) Jesus is the fulfillment of the “words.” He is the Word.
The metaphor of armor in Ephesians 6:10-17 has been used to talk about how to defend against spiritual forces we can’t see. But some of the biggest battles being waged in the “heavenly realms” we are blinded from by our temporary covers.
The temporary, material, physical distractions will cease to impede our being “real” when we are covered with Christ; when we clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience (Col. 3:12), truth, righteousness, good news, faith, salvation and the Word of God. It’s not about the things, its about the heart. It’s not about us, its all about Him.
What is your cover? What keeps you from “being real”?
What are some specific ways you can cover yourself with Christ, the armor of God?
