Seeley Swan Pathfinder -

It’s fascinating to look back over the decades at what couples dressed like. Every era over the past century had common fashions and trends that help us know what period history a couple lived in. What makes it possible to identify past eras is that couples looked just like everyone else around them.

In relationships, and in marriage, the Bible actually gives us fashion advice to NOT treat others exactly as the world around does. This truth is seen in Colossians chapter 3. First, “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” Colossians 3:1-2 (NIV)

To be a follower of Jesus Christ means that we have been saved into a brand-new life. We are also given a new focus to not follow the example of the world, but instead to live according to a new pattern of God’s Word. The fashion advice of the Bible is that our lives, our actions, and our marriages would have the characteristics that please the Lord.

We also read in Colossians 3:12-14 (NIV): “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”

First, we see compassion and kindness. Compassion is having a genuine sympathy for others and kindness is living that out with our actions. These attributes keep us pointed towards the concerns of others. The pull of the culture is to always focus on ourselves but the pattern of the Bible is to look first to the needs of each other.

In this verse is also patience and forgiveness. This is where God’s Word shows us how to navigate the difficulties of marriage. We do not ignore or pretend that conflict in marriage will happen but we can follow the truth of God’s Word to show patience to endure and work through issues. We also have the command to forgive and not hold offenses against our spouses.

People have different opinions about what articles of clothing hold an outfit together. Very often a belt is what ties together an outfit. Colossians tells finally to put on love, which binds all these virtues together in unity.

This is what Christ-centered love does, allows us to love others just as Jesus loves us. Love is certainly an emotion that we feel but much more than that…love is shown by our actions for the well-being of others around us. We are able to love because God loved us first and gives us the example to love each other.

The culture and world would give us the false pattern of what marriage should look like. But the truth of the Bible gives us the beautiful illustration of how to clothe ourselves in the right fashion of godly attributes.