Has it ever happened to you? You’re out shopping and find a great outfit. On the hanger? Perfection. But in the dressing room? Oh my. You see it from an entirely different angle. I’m not sure how to say it, but it seems in recent years, my angles have swerved in a not-so-good direction. Dis-angular. Is that a thing? Is fish-tailing something that can happen to body angles?
I was so disconcerted after my last trip to the dressing room that I came home and accidentally wrote a poem. I think I’d like to title it, “But It Looked So Good on the Hanger.”
Fishing for that perfect dress
Like a fashion-minded angler.
Spot the one – it’s flawless, yes!
So I hook it by its hanger
Fitting room with fresh-caught prize,
But no joy. No, this is anger.
Though the tag says it’s my size
More like fits my little fanger.
Sigh. I quit. No more shopping for a while. It causes me to write terrible poetry. And could I call using “fanger” like it’s a word, “poetic license”? Yes, I think I will. Even though it does make it clear to everyone that my poetic license should be revoked. I feel I should also confess here that I know absolutely nothing about fishing. So if I ever do get a fishing license, that should also be revoked. Poetry and fishing. I should never be allowed to do either of those things.
Even without the revoked license, there are other reasons I’m not a fisherperson. One is that I’ve seen those waders. They don’t even look good on the hanger. Plus they’re not my color. I’m not wearing those.
As a follower of Christ, there’s a different kind of fishing, of course. I want to always be dressed for that kind. No quitting. When Jesus called Peter and Andrew to follow Him, He said, “I will make you fish for people,” (Matthew 4:19 CSB). I don’t think they even asked what they should wear. They simply dropped their nets and followed. And fished.
What does a people-fisher wear?
I’m excited to tell you that I don’t even have to worry about that. I love it that my heavenly Father already has the perfect outfit for me. “For he has clothed me with the garments of salvation and wrapped me in a robe of righteousness,” (Isaiah 61:10 CSB).
Clothed in salvation! I wear Jesus. The Lord Himself clothes me.
The righteous robe of Jesus I’m wrapped in draws people to Him. I’m fishing before I even know it. The next verse says that “the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations.”
In people-fishing, the love of Jesus is the very best bait, as it were. We are to wear it. To wear salvation. To hang in there in wearing Jesus Himself. “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ,” (Romans 13:14 CSB).
Paul gives us some specifics in Colossians 3. Putting on Christ is to “put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience” (vs. 12, CSB). He tells us to put on forgiveness and then completes the outfit with “Above all, put on love,” (vs. 14).
I’m praying I will never quit when it comes to this kind of fishing. I want to wear Him and wear His love so well and so consistently that others are hooked. By His presence, He empowers, so I’m actually licensed to share. And never mind any accidental poetry, because no joking, there’s no revoking.