"Wearing Salvation"

My freshman year in college someone once asked me “Are you a Muslim or Catholic?” They went on to say, “I know you must be something as long as that skirt is!” And at that time I took those comments as a compliment. You see I believed my long skirt defined my Christianity. I thought the longer my skirt, the more holy I was. No fault of my pastor, my parents or the Lord, this had become my own personal comfort and belief. I especially felt that I was more saved than any women, who wore pants, even if she was a minister and I was not. I once made the statement, “If you ever see me in a pair of pants, then you know I have backslidden!”
Then one day my perfect world was “rocked” by trials and tests. The enemy was allowed to test me to the fullest. I had been a Christian since I was thirteen years old. And around age twenty-nine, temptations that never bothered me before started coming my way. I often said “How can you miss sin, you have never done?” Well I found out (but that is another story.) Now it was me, a person who had vowed that no matter the situation there was nothing that could make me leave the Lord. I had been serving in ministry for several years. I watched those who came to Christ with me in my youth, begin to turn around. I was determined that would not be me.
If you know anything about the enemy you know he is very determined as well. It was time to see what was really behind that long skirt! At the first attack, I shook off all arrows and darts thrown my way. But then the devil pulled out his heaviest artillery. Little by little I began to surrender to his tactics. He found the one thing that would cause a downslide of things, which I soon allowed to overshadow my faith. As I tasted of the fruits he offered I realized I was doing what I said I never would “backslide”.
Slowly but surely the more I tasted of sin the more I enjoyed it! I had never experienced “the world”. The more I dabbed in it, the more appealing it became to me. (A little leaven!) Galatians 5:9. Now I was still devoted to the church “building” (again another story) but the church was leaving my heart. Still hiding behind my skirt I looked down my nose at true sisters who wore pants. Even though I was at church with them in my long dresses, pretending everything was all right, shortly after service I was just a plain old “dressed” up sinner! You name it (just about) I did it!
Finally when it seemed there was nothing left for me to try. I decided to purchase a pair of pants!
As awkward as it may sound, I felt this of all the sins I had committed was the greatest. There I stood in the mirror looking at someone I did not recognize.
Not because of the pants but because I was looking at a hypocrite, a rank sinner, someone I never wanted to become. Disgusted with myself I began to cry as I heard the Spirit say, “It’s time for restoration.” Without anymore delay I headed straight to the church, got with one of our pastors, confessed, repented and was restored to Christ right there on the alter…in a pair of pants!
To my surprise I felt the same amount of love from Christ and as I called on His name I was filled with His Holy Spirit again, just as I had been the very first time I got saved. Now I was really wearing my salvation, in my heart. I’ve said all this not to say that all women who have chosen not to wear pants are wrong. But just to say “a long dress does not a Christian make!” Now modest dress is a must. I believe too short, too tight skirts are just as wrong as too short, too tight pants.
However, salvation is a process that begins and ends in your heart. Because you can wear the longest dress to your deathbed, but if there is hatred in your heart when your soul is required that dress will do you no good. The Christian lifestyle is not just a race, but a test of endurance. When life issues and circumstances will you allow them to stop you in your race to the finish, to gain the eternal prize of life everlasting? Galatians 5:7
Or will you be able to withstand and run to the finish? Ecclesiastes 9:11
So I ask you do you “wear your salvation” in your lifestyle and in your speech?
When others see you, do they see Christ regardless of your attire?
Think about it.
Published in “WOW” Magazine and “ON THE ROCKS ARREST” Newspaper