Ever wonder what your clothes say about you?
Many years ago, when fresh out of high school, I entered the workforce, the mega-big insurance company I was then employed with, insisted on a code of dress policy to be adhered to by every employee. Men had to wear suits and ties. Women had to wear dresses or skirts (and pantyhose even in the hot and humid summer) or pant suits. No matter we never saw clients in the office building, we were obligated to dress professionally, to project professionalism and success.
Later, when I worked for a trucking firm, my employer tried to whittle down my self-worth and she almost succeeded until I figured out if I dressed professionally, I'd act professionally, and would successfully battle down her assault on my emotions. It worked because my suits communicated--loud and clear--to me and my employer that I was professional and would remain unmoved in her attacks.
When I did a short stint with Mary Kay Cosmetics, the Director of our unit said, to paraphrase her, "Dress successfully, even if you're not; portray the right image at all times." I took her words to heart when I was called up for jury selection a number of years back. I wore suits every day. While the Crown Attorneys wanted me on the jury, the Defense never did. I must have projected a powerful image, that I would not be easily swayed.
All these years later, I still have the dress code firmly etched in my mind. Even now, when I attend a writer's group meeting or conference or participate in a book signing, I dress professionally. Portraying the right image is embedded in me. My desire is to demonstrate the professional, proficient person that I am so people will have confidence in me and in my work.
Experts admonish us to dress for success. They instruct us if we look "perfect," we will land our "dream" job. I'm sure there is validity to this comment but can we take this beyond the physical and worldly? To the spiritual? My daily devotions challenged me.
The Apostle Paul tells us to "clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature." (Romans 13:14 NIV)
To clothe myself with Jesus, I need to adopt His whole lifestyle. I need to live as He lived. Allow Him to be my Guide and Example. And I need to show Christ's grace, love, and goodness on the outside--something that has already taken place inside my heart.
If I wear Christ, I will be not just a faithful follower, but a successful witness, also. And, as an author, I want my novels to be clothed with Jesus' love. It's not about me. Never me. It's about reflecting the Lord Jesus Christ.
God Bless!
Anna
Looking for a place to feel inspired and challenged? Like to share a smile or a laugh? Interested in becoming more familiar with Canadian writers who have a Christian worldview? We are writers who live in different parts of Canada, see life from a variety of perspectives, and write in a number of genres. We share the goal of wanting to entertain and inspire you to be all you can be with God's help.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Popular Posts
-
Write Canada is more than a professional networking conference. It’s a safe place where beginning and intermediate writers can learn ...
-
by Rev Ed Hird One of the best loved Christmas Carols is the 146-year-old carol: Good King Wenceslas. In 1853, John Mason Neale chose Wences...
-
Inspiration hardly strikes on an empty stomach. For this, and other reasons, writers must eat. And if you like minced beef (and you...
-
I know it's only the 27th of November, but judging from the abundant lights in my neighbourhood, the holiday programs on TV, the parades...
-
A question was posed on The Word Guild discussion forum, asking, "What do you do when you are itchy to write but feel stuck, blocked -...
-
The rhythm formed by a writer's unique way of stringing phrases and sentences becomes their voice. This voice is the author's trad...
-
By Rev. Dr. Ed & Janice Hird We hear a lot about essential workers and essential services in these COVID-19 times. At 7 pm each ...
-
There are many things I fear. Having a flat tire on a freeway. Or worse, having a flat tire at night. The result of this fear is that I avoi...
-
For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will b...
-
As an author, I take great pains to choose the right name for all my characters. Even the animals in my stories get the same careful deliber...
1 comment:
Hello Ann:
I loved your blog. Moving from the city to a rural area where dressing up means putting on a clean pair of jeans requires a deliberate choice to maintain that professional standard. Thanks for those words of encouragement!
Linda
Post a Comment