Colourfast Christians

Many years ago, when the earth was young, I decided that I'd give the Christian thing 'a go'!

I'd been listening to a man by the name of Gordon Bailey as he spoke about Christianity, the Cross, new life and all that stuff and, intellectually not emotionally, thought that some of what he said made some sort of sense. I heard stuff that warranted an examination and a bit of a try at it and so I started going along to a little Baptist church in a nice, comfortable, Thames-side town to find out what this Christian stuff was all about and how it affected me, for better or worse, and what difference it might make to my thinking, actions and life in general.

Soon I had become quite enthusiastic and I wore the brightly coloured T-Shirt that loudly proclaimed 'I'm a Christian'.

Everyone noticed what I wore and they watched to see what difference it made to me and what difference I made to the world around me.

Time moved on and I continued to wear my T-Shirt, after all, it was who I was!

I wanted everyone to see that I was a Christian and the T-Shirt made that statement for me, even when perhaps my lifestyle didn't! There it was, telling people about who I was and what I believed. It was more than just a fashion statements, wasn't it?

I carried on going to church and telling people who asked what I believed. O.K. I perhaps wasn't as zealous, but then again, once the excitement dies down, we're not, are we? And I still had my T-Shirt! People could see I was a Christian, couldn't they?

I was a Christian, after all I went to church (quite often) and I read my Bible (now and then) and would tell people that being a Christian was important (and being at church wasn't the be all and end all) it's what we believe, right?

And I was till wearing the T-Shirt, so I still had to be a Christian!

And then one day, in passing, I stopped and looked in a shop window and felt proud that I'd worn my T-Shirt for all those years (see dad, it wasn't a passing fad!). I was a Christian and everyone could see that because . . .

It was then I saw that the thing had faded and the words were but a faint outline on the T-Shirt and stopped and realised that perhaps this was true of the image of Christ that people saw in me too. What I needed was to get a new T-Shirt and wear it every day so there was no doubt about who I was and who Christ was in my life. O.K., we hadn't spoken for a while and it was true we didn't talk often (but I am so busy) and reading took time that just wasn't there (I had so many other important things to be doing) but . . . but perhaps there was something wrong in our relationship. We were together, but more on His side than mine.

Then it struck me that I had a lifetime supply of T-Shirts, all I had to do was take one 'new every morning' and now I wear a new one every day. It sometimes porclaims what I don't feel and it often puts me in a better light than I deserve, but isn't that what the Cross does anyway?

So now I read about God and His dealings with man, I talk to God about what's going on in the lives of people I know, the world and me in particular and suddenly I feel like I'm wearing the T-Shirt again for the very first time.

"For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.
For as many of you as were baptised into Christ have been clothed with Christ.
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave7 nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."

So let us all be clothed afresh in Christ every day, after all it is new every morning - we stand for Christ and as Christ for those we meet - can people read the truth? Are you colourfast or merely a faded Christian?

Pax