Dressed For Success

“They came to Jesus and saw the man who had been demon-possessed by the legion, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.” Mark 5:15

     We are all familiar with the story of the man who was possessed by many demons, all of who were driven into a herd of swine that rushed down the bank into the sea and drowned there. No man had been able to restrain him, and he lived among the tombs, crying and cutting himself.

     Now, we are not told anything concerning his clothing. Whether his family had left him some there, or whether he had once had some and they were strewn among the tombs…we don’t know. As far as we know, there may have been no clothes there, and someone may have had to give him a garment.

     What I do know is that the word “dressed” stood out to me for the first time in this scripture. This word was important enough to mention in Scripture, and I pondered its significance. The Holy Spirit immediately communicated a truth to me.

     The once-possessed man had been freed from the demonic forces that possessed his very being and was now clothed…both physically and spiritually. The next thing that God drew to my attention…was it possible that Jesus put His Own robe on the man? We have to consider that this could have happened.  As Jesus went about teaching, healing, casting out demons and evangelizing the countryside, I believe that Jesus was not only setting the standard, but living a life and walking a walk that not only exhibited the power of His Father, God, but also exemplified a life that He desires for us to live.

    “I was naked and you clothed me” (Matthew 25:36) is an example of Scripture that expresses the pleasure of God concerning the kindnesses that are extended to others. We will never know where the clothes of the once-possessed man came from and despite the unknown physical details, we must consider the changed spiritual condition of the man… an implication that he had been cleansed spiritually, now wearing the robe of righteousness.

     The man who lived among the tombs (death) was now sent to boldly share his testimony. “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (2Timothy 1:7)  Now being in his “right mind”, Jesus empowered him with the ability to evangelize his community, starting with those he loved. And although he wanted to follow Jesus, he was commanded to “Go back home to your own people, and report to them how much the Lord has done for you and how He has had mercy on you.” (Matthew 5:19)
      
    Often, we are concerned with how we “look” on the outside, but when we have Christ on the inside, we will automatically reflect His nature on the outside, having been clothed in His righteousness, love and virtue. Talk about being "dressed for success"!
      
    So, WDJD (What Did Jesus Do)? Did He place His Own robe on the man? We will never know, but one thing that we do know is that the man was “dressed”. What are you wearing?

Be blessed, In Jesus’ Name,

Angie