Is Your Faith for Everyday or Just Special Occasions?
Remember hat racks? Those racks that allowed us to collect various types and styles of hats, hang them up, and then pull from our collection depending on our mood and outfits? Although hat racks may be a little less common in today's world, I think the metaphorical "hat rack of life" is still very much in use.
Why? Because life demands that we wear many different "hats,"… sometimes even more than one hat at a time! For me, it's the Director Hat, the Husband Hat, the Dad Hat, the Grandpa Hat, the Speaker Hat, and so many other hats. So, which one do I wear every day? Which one should I be wearing every day? Now that is a good question.
Martha wrote a chapter in our book entitled sheWorks4Him: Embrace your calling as a Christian Woman at Work. Her chapter was titled "What hat do I wear today?" She wrote about her literal hat collection as a teen (which I got to see when we started dating) and how the hat she wore depended on the day's activity. But no matter what hat she wore, people told her she looked good in a hat. I agree. But in the chapter, Martha also talks about one specific metaphorical hat: her Faith Hat. She dives into the question of when the right time to wear this particular hat is; is it a hat for Sundays? Or for every day? Does it get changed out or taken off for work, or socializing, or other activities? Can it be worn with other hats? You'll have to get the book to read the whole story and see where Martha lands with this. Oh, and bonus - there are 18 other Christian Working Women stories in there too!
But for now, let's get back to that Faith Hat. When you left for work today, did you put on your Faith Hat, or did you leave it home? Is your Faith Hat in a hatbox where it is neat and can't be crushed or wrinkled? Do you only bring it out on Sunday, or is your faith hat on all the time, wrinkled and worn but shaped by being used in all kinds of circumstances, especially work time?
For decades I went to work with my Faith Hat neatly tucked away on a shelf. Please don't make that mistake! Your Faith Hat should be the hat that is a part of every moment of life. Your friends/coworkers/bosses/clients/vendors desperately need to see you wearing your faith at work so that they can encounter Jesus through you. In addition, when you actively put on your faith each day, you are covering yourself in the truth of God's promises.
The Apostle Paul states it this way in Ephesians 6:13,17
“Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
So, put on that Faith Hat – aka the helmet of salvation - and wear it proudly! Oh, and be sure to download the first chapter of sheWorks4Him for FREE by clicking here.
Jim
About the Author, Jim Brangenberg
Jim's Mission: We are called to be examples of Christ to those around us. With that in mind, Jim is passionate about helping Christ followers connect their faith to their work!