"And above all these things put on charity..." (Colossians 3:14)

#LightTheWorld #day16

Just a quick thought on fashion/clothing. Paul said, to the Corinthians: "If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked" (2 Corinthians 5:3). He's right. When we have clothes on, we aren't naked. But what about symbolically?

Adam and Eve were naked in the garden of Eden. When their eyes were opened after partaking of the fruit, "they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons" (see Genesis 3:7-8). This made me ponder about what I am putting on, what do I wear when I "feel" naked? For me, feeling naked is a feeling of vulnerability, and insecurity. When I feel this way what do I choose to wear? Do I wear impatience, or anger? Or do I follow the admonition of Paul written to the Colossians, which says:

"Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; forbearing one another, and 

forgiving one another, as if any man have a quarrel against any: 

even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. 

And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. 

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, 

to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful." 

(Colossians 3:12-15).

What shall I wear today? What will I help others wear? I know that when I was baptized, I "put on Christ" (Galatians 3:27). Do I "clothe the naked" by expressing love, compassion, honesty, or perhaps patience (see Matthew 25:36)? Today can be a day of amazing "fashion" as I help others be clothed in the love of Christ. It makes all the difference when I "clothe [myself and others] with the bond of charity, as with a mantle which is the bond of perfectness and peace" (D&C 88:125). This I testify.

When the pain persists but others can't see it on the outside, I can choose to clothe myself with all that is "wrong" with my life, or I can "put on Christ", and wear "charity". That kind of fashion makes a world of difference.

"And ye will not suffer your children that they go hungry, or naked..(Mosiah 4:14)

Day 14 (Dec 14) #LIGHTtheWORLD
Jesus taught us to clothe the naked and you can help

Always loved this scripture about clothing the naked. I felt it really pertained to motherhood and all the laundry I did and frequently continue to do.

"And ye will not suffer your children that they go hungry, or naked; neither will ye suffer that they transgress the laws of God, and fight and quarrel one with another, and serve the devil, who is the master of all sin, or who is the evil spirit which hath been spoken of by our fathers, he being an enemy to all righteousness." (Mosiah 4:14)

Some days, and maybe it is really some weeks that I am better at getting the laundry done. I keep trying to have my children learn to do their own laundry so they can eventually clothe themselves.  I believe that helping my children learn how to do their own laundry is part of clothing them. And this applies to clothing them physically and spiritually. It takes commitment and time. Sometimes I call it climbing a mountain, simply because I literally have mountains of clothes to wash, fold, and put away. You can read a whole post about climbing a mountain of laundry (here).

One more thought, doing laundry and repentance, they pile up if you don't keep doing the washing. And another thing, they both feel so good when I keep working on them and don't get such a large mountain to climb.

Previous laundry all done and folded (taken by me and folded by me)