“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” (Ephesians 6:10-18 KJV)
Picture what I am about to share with you. I’m coaching an elementary basketball team consisting of third to fifth graders. It was a great team and we went undefeated during the regular season. I’m not bragging, but I did a pretty good job teaching the team fundamentals. They learned how to cut, set picks, block out, and run seven plays designed so that everyone would get a shot. No zone defenses were allowed, so we spent a lot of time working on man-to-man defense.
Normally, I would have enough time to go home and change before practice after I got off work. Yes, usually I had enough time to dress for the occasion. However, this one particular day my workplace staff meeting went a little longer than usual and I did not get a chance to change into clothes proper for coaching on the school’s gymnasium. Go there with me. The gym is a multi-purpose room and while it has basketball rims and glass basketball courts similar to high school or small college gyms, the flooring at this school was made of indoor/outdoor carpet. Well, back to the day. Remember that I did not get to dress for practice. I still have on shirt and tie, dress pants, and shiny dress shoes; shoes, not boots. While showing the team how to correctly move their feet on defense, I slid my foot to the right, but my dress shoe was insistent it was not moving. And because of that stubborn, obstinate shoe, a muscle popped, pulling away from the bone and taking a piece of it with it for a souvenir. Although I knew I had some serious damage, I hid it from the kids. Maybe I was trying to be like a Willis Reed or an Isiah Thomas, but I kept coaching until the end of practice. The next day, because I was not dressed for the occasion on the day before, I ended up going to the doctor and getting a walking cast.
What’s the lesson today? It is just what is stated in the title above, “Always dress for the occasion.” While I could not get away without changing shoes in my coaching experience described above, the good news is that if you put on the right attire, you will be dressed right for the occasion. The verses above are from the King James Version, a translation familiar to you I’m sure. The same verse are written as follows in The Message Bible, a paraphrased version that will help make sure that you are always in compliance with the admonition to always dress for the occasion. Here it is! “And that about wraps it up. God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no afternoon athletic contest that we’ll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels. Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them throughout your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out.”
Now, my friend, go dress for the occasion! Experience another day where you will have the victory! Be blessed!
Still committed to the climb,
Mark L. King