I wore a dress shirt and tie to work this past Friday. I don't recall ever wearing a tie to work at SUN, but it just so happened that I woke up a bit late on Friday morning, decided to shave, and whelp since I was all nice and clean looking I decided to "dress the part". I never actually run into customers where I work, so let's just say the dress code has been pretty lax. Right away everyone noticed the big change in me. There were those who figured I had a job interview some time during the day Friday, and that was why I dressed up. Some reckoned I had it big date with my wife and so that was what prompted it. There was no doubt about it, I surely stood out in the crowd and everyone noticed right away.

Funny, isn't it, that I was drawing so much attention for looking "good". I mean, shouldn't I always try to look good? It's not like I dress like a bum normally, but it's interesting to me that my "dressing up" was what caught everyone's eye. We often talk about being a Christian, and being set apart from the world in that we don't run to mischief like they do, but I have noticed something. If I suited up every day with that dress shirt and tie, I think people would get used to it. I would no longer "stand out" in their eyes. Ever notice that? Some people would even, eventually, get unhappy with me and the talk would turn to my dressing nice to impress the boss. People get ugly real fast. if they think by your doing good that it makes them look bad. It would be nice if my dressing spiffy would cascade into everyone dressing nicer, out of peer pressure or competition or even out of simple acknowledgement of the "rightness" of it, but that never seems to happen.

In a similar way, when we became Christians often people notice the change in us. and it's an admirable one. We are trying to behave ourselves, and most people support that higher morality. Still, it's not long and there are those who pick, who look to take us down a notch, to make: fun of us. They get mean sometimes. I guess because they feel threatened with the way we stand out. You want to do your best. Yet they feel judged by us. They feel guilty and uncomfortable around you.

I caught some of that in a joshing way Friday, because some people: did accuse me of dressing up to make them look bad. Admittedly this made >me< feel a little strange:. I was already feeling kinda uncomfortable being dressed up. and hadn't thought people would make such a big deal of it. I guess it's because of the extreme of my usual. casual dress. Every day. All Year. So when you dress even more "down" than everyone else, and then you dress “up” more than them,. the pendulum has a bigger swing. Kind of like the most rotten of sinners becoming a saint. What a change! Just imagine someone who had lived an evil life then one day tries to straighten up before God. They surly feel very "uncomfortable" with the new ways of thinking. Probably others encourage them (I sure hope so!) but some will say it only ss an attempt to "impress the boss". The old friends will feel guilty. and it won't sit well with them. They will feel judged. You'd like them to see how great it is and have everyone start doing the same, but that. never seems to happen.

I won’t kid you and tell you that I intend to dress up all the time now at work. Fortunately my salvation does not rely on that, and I can continue to be comfortable. However. I intend to continue to do my best to behave myself as God intends me to. I don't know if my fellow workers get tired of it, get used to it, or ignore it, or get inspired by it, but that is what I am going to do. And when we all get together at the building, I will do my best to encourage you. There ought to be at least one place you can go and not feel uncomfortable!

Randy