When we were planning our wedding, my husband and I decided we wanted our wedding party to wear traditional clothes from their home countries. But I also wanted the colors to match. Since the outfits were being prepared by my mom and my future mother-in-law in separate countries, Romania and Thailand, color coordination was nearly impossible. What’s worse, some of our friends wouldn’t be able to try on their clothing until the wedding day! I finally stopped worrying and simply prayed that the clothes would fit everyone and the colors wouldn’t clash. When the long-awaited day finally came, everyone looked spectacular!

Our wedding story reminds me of Paul’s words about the beautiful “wardrobe” believers find through Jesus. Through our life in Him, we have a “new nature.” When we live out or “put on” this new nature, we are “renewed as [we] learn to know [our] Creator and become like him” (Colossians 3:10). The inspiring outfits of believers are made with delicate material such as “tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience” (Colossians 3:12).

And if such clothing didn’t catch their eye, Paul reminded the Colossians why they should want to wear these attributes. He said, “God chose you to be the holy people he loves” (Colossians 3:12). They had been given the privilege of being loved by God and set apart for a higher purpose than “anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language” (Colossians 3:8).

We can find encouragement in the truth that we don’t need to make our own spiritual “clothes”—Jesus is the One who provides all that’s needed. “Christ is all that matters, and he lives in . . . us” (Colossians 3:11). May we wear the beautiful clothing He provides today!

NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: John 12:20-36