Wearing His Coat

How do I talk too anyone, if I cannot talk about my Lord? When I talk to others about being hurt, alone, or scared; how do I talk about these feelings, without sharing the One who rescued me? This is the only way I know how to tell my true history, and that is to include His story...
Psalm 55, "Listen to my prayer, O God. Do not ignore my cry for help! Please listen and answer me,for I am overwhelmed by my troubles...It is not an enemy who taunts me— I could bear that. It is not my foes who so arrogantly insult me— I could have hidden from them. Instead, it is you—my equal, my companion and close friend. What good fellowship we once enjoyed as we walked together to the house of God...But I will call on God, and the Lord will rescue me. Morning, noon, and night I cry out in my distress, and the Lord hears my voice. He ransoms me and keeps me safe from the battle waged against me, though many still oppose me. God, who has ruled forever, will hear me and humble them... As for my companion, he betrayed his friends; he broke his promises. His words are as smooth as butter, but in his heart is war. His words are as soothing as lotion, but underneath are daggers! Give your burdens to the Lord, and He will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall."

There have been so many times in which I have been so hurt and beaten down by those who masquerade around under the title of Christian. I guess that is why I do not like certain titles. Instead of religious, I prefer, in love with my Savior. Instead of Christan, I prefer, Christ follower. For those people posing as religious and Christan, have given me the deepest wounds. They had an opportunity to give the fatal blows, because I let them close to me. I opened myself up to them and they in turn betrayed me. But because I have been hurt by people, does this mean that I stop loving my God? No, I cannot blame Him for the choices others make against Him. People are fallen. No one is perfect, so why would I turn my back on the only One who is. Why would I, but I have.

We have a tendency to want to blame someone, so we blame the One who we think is ultimately responsible for all our pain. We don't want to see that the person who is hurting us, is also hurting. We want to build walls and protect ourselves so we rage against the title and the One we see that is responsible for that title. When a company fails, it is the boss who takes the hardest hit, for the mistakes of those he hired. So when a Christian sins, it is Christ who takes the hit. It is His reputation that suffers. It becomes about the title, and anyone afterward who wears that title, begins with a mark of distrust. This all happens because someone wearing that coat before us, did not wear His coat well.

Ravi tells this story better than me, but I will give it a shot. A person comes in and puts on your coat and shoes. They then go out into the night and rob a store. The policeman sees your coat and your shoes as the robber is fleeing. When the policeman comes to your house he arrests you. In your defense you tell him that it was not you. But he does not believe you and says that he saw you, for it was your coat and shoes.

There are many people out there wearing someone else's coat. They are masquerading around as one thing, but being another. Then the true owner of that coat is blamed. He is beaten, slapped, spit upon, and sentenced to death. But He never tries to defend Himself, for He knows this is the only way. He came and died for everyone, even the ones who do not wear His coat well. "Jesus did not come into this world to make bad people good. He came to make dead people live." (RZ) We are doing ourselves a great injustice. We are rejecting life, if we reject Him, all because we have been robbed by someone wearing His coat.

How thankful I am for the family God has given me. How thankful I am that I did not continually shut the door on people, because of the hurt I have felt from others wearing the same coat. I would be missing out on my sweet sisters in Christ, who are there for me cheering me on, lifting me up when I am down. I would have missed out on a wonderful husband, if I had kept the door shut on him, all because of a previous marriage that went horribly wrong. I would be missing so many of my God given family members, if I never let anyone in because of past hurt. I would be all alone, with only my hurt to keep me company. I cannot hold a grudge against Him, for there has never been someone with more betrayal in their heart, than me. I cannot always wear His coat well. How could I expect others to do better than I do myself? Why would I willingly choose death, when He has freely offered me life. He has given each of us a family and friends. We just have to understand that His family is not perfect. Not everyone wears His coat well, but many are truly trying. I love the friends He has given me, but I understand that they are not perfect, for they need His grace just like I do. The questions that I must ask myself are; Do I show others the same acceptance and grace that He has shown me? Do I wear His coat well?