What a Leader Wears

I can be a dumb traveler sometimes.  Recently I spoke at a conference called “Innovation 3” in Dallas, Texas.  Being from the Pacific Northwest, there have been times when I have forgotten to pack for where I was going and have packed for where I live.  Such was the case with Dallas.  While I was there, Dallas just happened to have the biggest ice storm they had seen in years.  All of that is to say that I wasn’t prepared.

The great theologian Forrest Gump said it best, “Stupid is as stupid does.”  Traveling rule #1:  The climate or environment always dictates what we “ought” to wear, and if we can dial that in before we travel, we can not only travel with less stuff but more importantly, the right stuff.

Maybe this works for a leader as well.  I think the climate of heaven can dictate what we ought to be wearing.  "Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven..."  Colossians 3:1

If we set our sights on Heaven it will begin to reframe how we think, which little by little will change how we behave and in time, will change the clothes we wear.  The more we understand the climate of our destination, the better prepared we are to dress appropriately.

Paul was writing to a church that was dividing, unsatisfied, seeing temporal and physical things, and they had clothing drift.  Imagine that?  They began forgetting spiritual stuff.  Paul gives them insight to the heavenly climate; “…You must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience….”  Colossians 3:12b

I wonder how relationships would be if we dressed like that?  How would the dynamic of teams change if we had higher levels of mercy and humility and lower levels of pride and indifference?  Maybe we are dressing more for where we are, and less for where we want to go?

As leaders, we first have to change the grid of what matters most (priorities), then we have to lead by GOING FIRST.

Interestingly, before Paul tells us what to wear, he tells us why we ought to wear it.

"Since God chose you to be the holy people whom he loves, you must clothe yourselves with..."  Colossians 3:12a

The key word here is "MUST".  It’s not about optional clothing.  Why?  Because we were chosen before the world was created to represent in flesh what God looks like.  We are salt and light.  We are ambassadors of Christ.  We are the people of God, followers of Christ, and LEADERS FOR CHRIST.  We, collectively, are the face of the church.

When we wear what Jesus wore, we look like Jesus looked, and people see what they saw in His life.  Often as leaders we dress more for ourselves than the people we are called to serve.  We have to go first!

Set your sights on Heaven; put on things of Heaven, the same clothes Jesus wore, the clothes he lived for and died in.

After Paul talks about what to wear, he goes on to put forgiveness in a separate category.  "You must make allowance for each other's faults and forgive the person who offends you.  Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others."  Colossians 3:13

Are you making allowances for people in your life who have failed or offended you?  People mess up but we don’t make allowances.  Instead we make judgments: staff that have betrayed us, people that “we” have sacrificed for leave us, couples who we have prayed with get divorced anyway.  Life happens, fast and furious, and church leadership is messy but we don’t forgive; we get hurt, angry and stay isolated.

How can we as leaders ask people to do what we’re not doing?  How can we dare not live the message that we preach?  Who are you not forgiving?  What is causing bitterness in your life?  When will it be enough?  How long will you carry it?

AT THE CROSS YOU LOST YOUR EXCUSE TO NOT FORGIVE.

Our need to forgive is intrinsically and eternally tied to the fact that God forgave us.  He forgave all our crap, all our bad decisions, all of the thoughts that only He knows about, and all of the ways we will blow it in the future.  So when we feel someone has wronged us, we should consider it gone.  Be done with it.  Cancel the debt and let it go.  Forgiving for us is unnatural for sure and is a journey, not an event, but it is not optional.

There is one more thing we need to “wear."  “And the most important piece of clothing you must wear is love.  Love is what binds us all together in perfect harmony."  Colossians 3:14

Out of everything we wear, the most important piece of clothing is LOVE.  The order of Paul’s words is interesting and penetratingly convicting.  He says to think about Heaven, be merciful, forgive and then love.  I guess love could be called the coat we wear that represents what matters most.

I never owned a letterman's jacket in high school but I love seeing students wear them.  The letters, pins, colors and logos are all about displaying on the outside what matters so much to them on the inside.  It’s a symbol of their achievements, passions and convictions.  A letterman's jacket says a lot without having to say much.

At a recent service, I was standing in the back of the auditorium and had the privilege of meeting a young girl who had a lot of letters, patches and pins on her letterman’s jacket.  She was a scholar/athlete.  Her daddy stood next to her and was so proud of his daughter – of the work she had done and what she had chosen to make her life about.  It was a moment I will never forget.  He bragged, she smiled and listened, and so did I.

As they walked away, I had a picture of how it is with our Heavenly Daddy.  When we do the hard thing like choose love, patience and forgiveness, He is right there standing next to us, proud of His son or daughter, because we are displaying to others what matters most for His eternal Kingdom.

I think the bottom line for me is this: If the church that God has allowed me to lead stopped meeting, would anyone notice or even care?  Am I really representing Heaven?  Is the church I lead loving its city?  Do people authentically care?

What we wear matters more than we think!

8 Comments »

1. Pastor John,

   For me, I would have to say that yes… If Living Hope Church ceased to meet I would notice, and I would care a great deal.
   I’ve been attending Living Hope Church since last September and have enjoyed it very much. I have been searching for a Church over the years, but didn’t find a place where I felt comfortable.
   I haven’t felt a Love in a Church like this since I was a child, where my family and I attended Calvery Chapel in Southern California. I remember feeling the love and community like it was yesterday that poured out as Pastor Chuck Smith made everyone feel as if he was talking “one on one”  to each of us no matter if we were a child or an adult. 
   Pastor John you do that for me…. You are so down to earth while leading us closer to Christ, and I don’t think I’m the only one that notices.
   I just wanted to say thank you for Living hope Church…
   Pete

   Comment by Pete - Mar 30, 2009 @ 05:15 PM

2. Pastor,

   So true, so true, so true. I don’t want it to take a lifetime to get this. You hit it right on the mark here. I love the part about how our Abba Father feels about us when we do his will. Why do we let these small things of the world distract us from the beautiful things of Heaven eternity?

   Love IS the most powerful force on the earth besides that is our Father.

   Thank you for sharing Gods wisdom and truth here. You have your ear tuned into God.

   Living Hope has made a big difference in our community and it will continue especially when we let humility guide us as you do.

   Andrea

   Comment by Andrea - Mar 30, 2009 @ 07:00 PM

3. Pastor John,  yes… We would notice! You are an inspiration! Your greatest gift is your gift of humility and your open heart and love for us all and our walk with God! Your passion to share Gods lovewith us is truly a blessing and as such I thank him every day for bringing you into our lives! My struggles with forgiveness have been heavy on my heart but I know it is something I cannot do alone! Thank you!

   Comment by Zoey - Mar 30, 2009 @ 07:22 PM

4. In this life its so easy to get wrapped up in the fact that if someone does somthing to you, then you should get back at them. Or if someone commits a crime its so easy to point the finger and say what should happen to them. Truly, who are we to jugde? Honestly, I have tried to always know that people can change no matter who they are. God can change anyones heart no matter what walk in life they are in. We can only hope and pray that God will change their lives but it has to be a CHOICE that they will have to make. Until then, we are to love and accept them as Christ loves and accept all of us. Yes, Im talking about the murderers, the drug addicts, the thiefs, the liers and the child mollesters. Growing up with a father who for years mollested me and then went to prison for doing this to other girls, I still love him with all of my heart. I only hurt for him because he has this sickness that he cant seem to be broken enough to give it all to God. I long for his salvation and for his heart to be pure before God. As I sit here and await for yet another trial on Friday for yet another prison sentence for not registering, I pray for him. I dont hate him, I hate the fact that Satan has hold of him and because he is allowing him to destroy his life when God has such greater plans for him. So I just ask everyone to seek out your own heart right now and see what it is in your life that is in need of change. We are all Gods children and I do mean everyone !!!!!! 

   Sherry

   Comment by Sherry - Mar 30, 2009 @ 11:54 PM

5. John,
   I think this is one of my all-time favorites. Coming from such a rule oriented, judgement driven religion, I had no idea that the bottom line was about Jesus. I mean, I “knew” we sang to Him, talked about Him and prayed to Him, but I completely missed the part about RELATIONSHIP with Him. Most of my life was spent trying to understand what the heck I was missing…trying to FIND Him in my life. I spent so many years searching and waiting for it to all make sense, and in the meantime, walking down many dark roads making desperate choices that would follow me through my life.

   Isn’t it amazing that you can step foot in a place you swore you would NEVER go, and find what you have always been looking for? Welcome to Living Hope. Thank you John, for following your heart…for teaching HIS truth no matter how much the truth hurts. Thank you for being AUTHENTIC and showing a lost, blind girl His amazing grace. One of my all time favorite quotes is “when you fall in love with Jesus, you fall OUT of love with this world”...how true it is. When we have that sweet, love relationship with Jesus, we change how we see, what we think, HOW WE DRESS. There is no way to avoid it, it’s the nature of His love. Wearing love is the best make-over we could ever get. Choosing patience, kindness, love…all the Fruits…makes ALL the difference in the world. When we have our eyes focused UPWARD, we stop expecting the people and things around us to be our all. God IS the answer. The way, the truth, the light. Thank you for being obedient, and showing Him to so many. Love you.

   Comment by Adrienne - Mar 31, 2009 @ 11:53 AM

6. Pastor John…

   I don’t know you, humm.. better saying, didn’t know you but I do really believe that you’re a right guy at the right place.
   I’ll be paying more attention in what I’m “wearing” from now on to please our Daddy in Heaven. I like that!
   Bless you bro!

   Comment by Betinho - Apr 11, 2009 @ 02:53 PM

7. John,

   Great metaphor from a life-lesson-learned. “Dress for the climate to where you’re going.” I also liked what you said here:

   “Life happens, fast and furious, and church leadership is messy but we don’t forgive; we get hurt, angry and stay isolated.”

   I think, especially as leaders, this is where the Gospel becomes real—a make-or-break deal. We either believe the Good News applies to us, too, or we work harder to make sure we never get hurt again.

   Thanks for posting.

   Comment by Phil Henry - May 05, 2009 @ 09:57 AM

8. Words that are applicable to church leadership anywhere, even here in Scotland!

   Thanks.

   Comment by John (Livingston, Scotland) - May 26, 2009 @ 03:26 PM

Sorry, but commenting is no longer available for this post.