It was a hot day for the first day of December. I remember the first day of the West Virginia State Police Academy very well. The instructors pushed our bodies to the point that they would cramp up, and the instructors would then yell, “Hydrate!” We would gulp down an electrolyte drink, and back at it, we would go. They wanted the ones who really did not want it or who were not prepared for this journey to quit. However, I wanted that green uniform of a West Virginia State Trooper almost more than anything in the whole wide world. The instructors stood perfectly in their Class A uniforms. Their boots were polished to a mirror-like reflection, the badge on their chest blinded you with its shine, and their uniforms were pressed and creased without a single wrinkle. I would not dare to even imagine myself in that uniform until I earned it. There are many slogans in the WVSP, and one is “You Want It, You Earn It!”
Our Reasonable Service Includes Modesty
Oh, boy, did they ever make me earn that uniform! That uniform, when I wore it, represented who I was and what I stood for. Strangers knew to approach me with certain matters and trusted me with them based on what I was wearing. As Christians, we should also aim to present ourselves in a way that is a proper representation of Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul actually begs us to do this! “I BESEECH you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you PRESENT YOUR BODIES a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service” (Romans 12:1 NKJV, emphasis mine). This Scripture discusses far more than how we present our bodies with clothing. However, how we dress is certainly part of our presentation, and as the Scripture encourages, our presentation should be “holy” and “acceptable to God,” which would include our modesty in how we dress.
Determining What is Acceptable
Go to God’s word to access His mind when determining what is “acceptable to God.” It is through the inspired writers we can know God (1 Corinthians 2:10-12). We can also know for certain that what is “acceptable to God” is the opposite of what is trending in the world. “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:2).
Remain in Uniform
The uniform that I wore was difficult to maintain and later became almost a burden for most. However, if a Trooper would substitute the uniform for something else, we become unrecognizable to those we protect and serve. The uniform was not solely for us or me but for the benefit of others who saw me. What tragedy it would have been if someone needed help and I missed helping them because I was out of uniform! The world will tell you to dress and wear whatever makes you feel proud and not worry about anyone else. The world’s mindset is it is their problem if your clothing or lack of it causes someone to stumble! That is not the case with God. He wants you to be clothed with Christ (Romans 13:14; Galatians 3:27) and to be presented as a holy representative of Him (2 Corinthians 5:20). “…Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be CLOTHED WITH HUMILITY, for ‘God resists the proud, But gives to the humble’” (1 Peter 5:5, emphasis mine). As a Christian, your uniform was given to you by the grace of God, and you did not earn it. Cherish the gifts God has given you and adorn yourselves modestly (1 Timothy 2:9). What influence do you present for Jesus and others out of uniform?
