Putting Off, Putting On
As a child growing up in New Zealand, my mother knit colorful sweaters for me. She used brightly colored wool to create warm sweaters, which we call “jumpers”. I was very thankful to be warm in my woolen jumpers, but as I've gotten older, perhaps wearing these jumpers today is not the greatest fashion statement. Who knows, they might make a comeback, but in many photos of me as a kid, I’m wearing one!
As an adult, I’ve discovered that there are three main types of clothing we can wear:
Clothes that others want us to wear.
Sometimes they suit us, and sometimes not.
Clothes we wear to fit in or be like someone else.
People often dress like their heroes, wearing their labels and sporting gear.Clothes that are truly ours.
Living to be true to our identity, who God made us to be.
As leaders, we can often relate to similar patterns - trying to be what others want us to be, to be liked, or perhaps trying to lead in order be like someone else, and lead like someone else. However, the truth is, no one can lead like us! God has uniquely shaped and gifted you as a leader, and if you conform to the images and desires of others, or expect to be just like others, the world will miss out on the leader that you can uniquely be, the leader who God shaped you to be. It is great to imitate good leaders, but we also need to find our own way of authentically living things out, and not fall into pretending.
As adults and as leaders, we sometimes need to take a ‘wardrobe audit’ to see if there are behaviors, thoughts and beliefs as leaders that we need to “put off”, and new ones to “put on” if we are to be the type of leader we are best at being.
We also need to adjust our ‘clothes’ seasonally. Perhaps this is a season for change? For a new look? For a new way of leading? The whole world is in massive change and as you enter a new season, perhaps it's a good time to take a look in the mirror of reflection and intentionally choose the behaviours, thoughts and beliefs that are best suited for the year ahead. Are there are habits, vices, beliefs or weaknesses that we would do well to “put off”, and to “put on” a new self?
I have been thinking about how this has a spiritual parallel. The Bible reminds us to take off our old selves and clothe ourselves in our true identity in Christ.
What to Put Off
The great first century Christian leader, the apostle Paul, challenges Christians to put off their “old selves”. In his letter to the church in Colossae, Paul points out that the believers used to clothe themselves in “earthly” things. He tells them,
“Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.”
These are the things we must put off. Paul goes on, urging them to rid themselves of anger, rage, malice, slander and filthy language (Colossians 3:8, NIV). Two thousand years later, these are some of the same patterns we can still find ourselves in.
It’s challenging to put off not just our actions but also the deeper thoughts and beliefs that give rise to these sinful acts and habits. But these things must end.
In his book "Necessary Endings," Henry Cloud writes that, for growth to happen, some things need to come to an end. “Today may be the enemy of tomorrow,” writes Cloud. “In your business and perhaps your life, the tomorrow that you desire and envision may never come to pass if you do not end the things you are doing.”
What do you need to put off today?
What to Put On
Our motivation for putting off the “old” things and putting on our new identity comes from recognizing who we truly are. As Paul goes on to say, we are chosen people, holy, and dearly loved (Colossians 3:12, NIV). These are just a few of our new ‘names.’
Many of us can remember being called a cutting nickname. I remember being teased for my complicated last name growing up, despite many generations of Osbaldistons having lived in New Zealand. Sometimes, childhood nicknames take root in our souls and echo in our behavior, thoughts and beliefs as adults. Do you remember any nicknames that have impacted who you are today?
We as believers have new and true names to which we can cling, such as chosen, holy, dearly loved, and many others. These are among the first things we need to ‘put on’ in our new identity in Christ, who is our life.
“To mature is to grow up from the names that others have given us and hold on to those that are given us in community, to let go of those that are weak and false, and hold on to the names that are strong and true.”
We are invited to put on our new identity and then allow that identity to clothe us. As we grow in our relationship with God and the truth of what he says about us, we will begin to be clothed with things that suit our new identity, such as “compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience” (Colossians 3:12, NIV).
This season, I am continuing to learn to live out of the strong and true names that God gives, and not seek to wear the names and clothes that others want me to wear, or to be like someone else - but to live into the identity of the leader God intended me to be. I’m trusting God to empower me to live out of who He says I am – putting off my old self and also putting on my new self, which is in Christ.
Elsewhere in the Bible, the apostles John and Paul talk about a similar concept, of bearing fruit. As branches attached to a vine, we will produce the fruit coming from that vine. If we are rooted, connected and established in the vine of God’s spirit, we will begin to bear the fruit that truly suits us. Other traits can be pruned and put off!
How about you?
In this season, what do you need to put off? Do you have some behaviours, thoughts and beliefs that belong to an outdated identity?
Do you have a new identity coming from your connection with Christ? What “clothes” will suit your new identity?
What new leadership traits and characteristics can you ask God to produce in you, to be the leader only you can be?
If you are interested in receiving these regular articles in your email inbox, please sign up right here
Editorial input: Allison Doolittle