Getting dressed means we do it deliberately. I must choose to put on my jeans and shirt. I choose what I will wear. The life of faith is no different. We must choose to live in it every day. We must be alert and aware of the spiritual fight in the unseen realm. Things aren't what they appear to be here in this temporary world.
I will cut and paste Ephesians 6:14-15 from http://biblegateway.com:
Stand firm therefore, AG)'>(AG)HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING AH)'>(AH)PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, 15 and having AI)'>(AI)shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE;
How do you gird (which means to encircle, to secure, to surround, to prepare) your loins with truth? It is significant that Paul mentions the loins and the chest area. These two areas of us physically can be the seat of many, many of our emotions. We must rule our emotions, not let our emotions rule us. We must rule them with truth and righteousness.
I am not saying to stash them away and hide them. Don't do that! But you shouldn't let them take you anywhere they want to take you. If you do, then you will be like a leaf blowing in the wind. Root them in truth and righteousness. If you feel some strong emotion, look at it objectively. Is it rooted in truth?
Emotions are amoral,meaning they aren't good or bad. They just are. They are meant to gifts to us. But they will be a curse to us if they control us.
And to shod our feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace means wherever we go we choose to bring peace with us. If people don't accept it that's on them. But we need to go everywhere with love and openeness and the truth of Jesus.
(Also, if you'd like to read this week's Perfectly Blunt column, here it is:
http://capjournal.com/opinions/ and then click on the link to the right of my picture.
If your local paper would like to run it, the editor can just send me an email: [email protected] and I'll get it to her or him every week via email Mondays. It is free!)