Loud

The irony was overwhelming as I stood in the bathroom ironing my new pink dress shirt. I specifically remember walking into the department store and standing next to the table full of shirts. I was first drawn to the table due to the large sale sign that read $19.99. Let's face it. The economy is tough and any time you can get a bargain on a good shirt... it might be time to whip out the debit card to make a purchase. As I walked closer to the table, that is when I noticed the slick cardboard tag hanging from the third button down on the bright pink name-brand dress shirt. This tag was black and gold... diamond shaped... and hanging from a one inch string so that it would be centrally located in the middle of the shirt for a passerby to notice. As a matter of fact, the manufacturer of the shirt made this particular tag even more noticeable than the brand-name tag of the shirt itself. It's as if they wanted to scream THIS message out... as if the message that was portrayed on THIS tag...was the most important message of all.

So, there I stood... the $19.99 had drawn me in. The named-brand tag had risen an eyebrow and at least partially released my death grip on the wallet containing my debit card. But this tag... this gold and black diamond jewel placed front and center in the middle of this beautiful pink dress shirt... it was the tipping point. It was the VERY thing that moved me to release the card and purchase the shirt. What did this tag say that was so impressive? What possible claim could have moved me from just a man passing by to a becoming a man moved to purchase? The black and gold tag simply stated "non-wrinkle" "no-iron."

"Non-wrinkle" and "no-iron?" To a man that hates wrinkles. To a man that runs to the dryer as soon as it buzzes, in hopes to hang up the "still warm" shirts before the wrinkles set in. To a man that starches, presses, creases, and steams. You might as well have offered Superman anti-cryptonite medicine. I was sold at "hello."

So, you see, the irony is overwhelming as I am standing in the bathroom ironing my new pink dress shirt. As I am ironing the deep wrinkles out of my "non-wrinkle" and "no-iron" dress shirt. As I look into the trash can and see the receipt for $19.99, I realize that it wasn't truly a bargain...for I did not purchase what I truly longed for. As I look in the trash can and see the black and gold diamond shaped tag, I was disappointed. For the message of its promise was now drowned out by the reality of truth. The reality of wrinkles.

In the end... much louder than the price tag, much louder than the named brand tag, much louder than the promise to end my ironing whoas... in the end... the wrinkles themselves spoke loudest. In the end...the truth of "what is" spoke louder than "what was promised" or even "what was guaranteed." In the end...I just had a mediocre shirt with deep wrinkles that needed ironing. Nothing more... nothing less.

May we recognize the irony of a deeply wrinkled pink shirt. May we be more careful in what we guarantee, in what we promise, in what claims and statements we make about ourselves. May we truly understand that the reality of "what is". How the reality of what people SEE when they see us far outweighs the things that we want them to see, or that which we simply CLAIM to be true. May we reflect on our wrinkles and ask ourselves and more importantly ask God what people see when they see the real "me?" May we allow God to iron us out, to press, clean, steam, starch... and thoroughly examine us. May we then strive to let His tag of righteousness, forgiveness, grace... and truth be the reality of "what is" in our lives... not simply the reality of what "should be."

For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers.  
       1 Timothy 4:10