Corduroy Pants
I had an enlightening experience a few nights ago. I went to a straight-up 100% East Tennessee style pig-pickin’ right here in Paris, France. I always knew that the French considered themselves to be highly cultured people, but it was not until I participated in this Parisian pig-pickin’ that I actually accepted the reality of this profound truth in its entirety. I have truly been enlightened!
The evening did lead me into spending a bit of time reflecting on some things. Let me explain.
I love pig-pickin’s and this one pair of corduroy pants that I have. I have been going to pig-pickin’s for as long as I can remember, and have had this pair of pants since high school (I graduated high school in 1997, if any of you are wondering.). They were green when I bought them, but now they are somewhere between green and grey. They are all ripped up at the bottom from where they have been dragging on the ground for over eight years. The section of pants that covers the gluteus maximus area is extremely thin and every time I wear them or wash them I think to myself, “this could be it for my somewhere between green and grey corduroy pants.”
I was wearing them while feasting on the wonderfully seasoned and perfectly cooked pork, in a beautiful garden at a home in a suburb a bit south of downtown Paris last Thursday evening. After we finished eating, we were all sitting around the fire and as I got up to help bring some more logs over I heard something rip – I thought it was my pants. I tried to find the tear, but couldn’t. It was pretty dark outside and I figured that it must not have been a very big rip seeing how I could not even locate it.
I stayed for another hour or so before leaving and during this time I found my thoughts wandering between the here-and-now conversations that were taking place and my corduroy pants that I thought I had ripped, again. I found myself thinking how sad I would be if the rip was too large to patch up. Of course I knew a day would come when the pants would be completely worn out and I would not be able to continue wearing them, but I wasn’t prepared for that to happen last Thursday evening. I do like these somewhere between green and grey corduroy pants an awful lot.
It was then that I began to think how difficult it is for the man or woman who finds comfort in worldly attachments to admit his or her complete and absolute need for God. How difficult it is for the person who places his or her trust in worldly treasures to store up treasures in Heaven. How difficult it is for the person who finds his or her identity in clothes, cars, computers, etc. to find their true identity in God.
Let us each seek to give up whatever sort of attachments we may have with worldly things that distract us from relying solely on Him. Let us each seek to be more eternally orientated, not filling our storage sheds on earth with meaningless toys, but storing up treasures in Heaven. Let us each seek to never find our identity in the clothes we wear or the things we use and buy but to only find our true identity in God and in God alone. Let us each as God to search our hearts in these matters.
I ask Him to search mine first.
The evening did lead me into spending a bit of time reflecting on some things. Let me explain.
I love pig-pickin’s and this one pair of corduroy pants that I have. I have been going to pig-pickin’s for as long as I can remember, and have had this pair of pants since high school (I graduated high school in 1997, if any of you are wondering.). They were green when I bought them, but now they are somewhere between green and grey. They are all ripped up at the bottom from where they have been dragging on the ground for over eight years. The section of pants that covers the gluteus maximus area is extremely thin and every time I wear them or wash them I think to myself, “this could be it for my somewhere between green and grey corduroy pants.”
I was wearing them while feasting on the wonderfully seasoned and perfectly cooked pork, in a beautiful garden at a home in a suburb a bit south of downtown Paris last Thursday evening. After we finished eating, we were all sitting around the fire and as I got up to help bring some more logs over I heard something rip – I thought it was my pants. I tried to find the tear, but couldn’t. It was pretty dark outside and I figured that it must not have been a very big rip seeing how I could not even locate it.
I stayed for another hour or so before leaving and during this time I found my thoughts wandering between the here-and-now conversations that were taking place and my corduroy pants that I thought I had ripped, again. I found myself thinking how sad I would be if the rip was too large to patch up. Of course I knew a day would come when the pants would be completely worn out and I would not be able to continue wearing them, but I wasn’t prepared for that to happen last Thursday evening. I do like these somewhere between green and grey corduroy pants an awful lot.
It was then that I began to think how difficult it is for the man or woman who finds comfort in worldly attachments to admit his or her complete and absolute need for God. How difficult it is for the person who places his or her trust in worldly treasures to store up treasures in Heaven. How difficult it is for the person who finds his or her identity in clothes, cars, computers, etc. to find their true identity in God.
Let us each seek to give up whatever sort of attachments we may have with worldly things that distract us from relying solely on Him. Let us each seek to be more eternally orientated, not filling our storage sheds on earth with meaningless toys, but storing up treasures in Heaven. Let us each seek to never find our identity in the clothes we wear or the things we use and buy but to only find our true identity in God and in God alone. Let us each as God to search our hearts in these matters.
I ask Him to search mine first.
posted by Matthew Pascal @ 4:45 AM
7 comments
7 Comments:
So? What about the rip in your pants?
I am waiting for the payoff here.
-Street
I understand the deep affinity that corduroy pants can inspire...when my grey cords, also bought in 1997, became see-through on the inner seam and beneath the back pockets in the autumn 2000, the fabric was too thin to support much patching but I wasn't ready to give up on the pants quite yet. Inspiration from my roommate led to me lining the inside of the pants with duct tape, which was not always the most comfortable solution (particularly on hot and humid days) but did manage to get me through my last year of college with the grey cords, which remain to this day my favorite pair of pants ever, although they have since passed into the land of scrap fabric.
Pants aside, this is a good reminder that not only do I need to not let my identity be found in these other things, but I need to restrain myself from not constructing other people's identities based on their possessions/activities/etc. Do I look for the image of Christ in everyone I see or immediately judge them based on their cars and clothes and jobs? And the two are not unconnected, as I find that the more secure I am in my identity as a daughter of God, the more able I am to seek to truly know other people and look for Christ in them.
just wondering why "somewhere between green and grey" continues to be italicized?
Heidi - I do agree with what you said, and yes we must try and restrain ourselves from not constructing other people's identities based on their possesions/activities/etc. but I also think that there are times when the prophet must speak out. Of course this is such a fine line, and much wisdom and discernment is needed.
And anonymous - this seems to be a fairly thoughtful blog that is challenging my thinking on many things, and I don't completely see how your comment goes with the flow of what is taking place here.
1. I think cords are out with turtlenecks. I read it in Cosmo.
2. How was the Parisian pig, compared to our fair southern hog?
3. "The Rest of the Gospel" which I'm certain Jim Dogg has mentioned, if not given you a copy, mentions the identities or masks or doors we put up in an attempt to identify ourselves. Your thinking is much align to this and how we need to learn to see ourselves as something more eternal and less physical. The phrase "Christ in me," although a beautiful thought, is often overstated. The general thought in the book challenged a thinking of living with "Christ AS me" instead. It took awhile to catch it, but it made so much more sense. We can never live AS Christ, although we daily strive for a greater lovingkindness, but in His own way, Christ can live AS us. Our life is not our own and we are a creation of Him. So as we should be given over to allow Him to live through us, as us, a willing servant. What DO we look like to others?
Biggie
I appreciate all of you taking the time to comment. Let me try and respond to you all:
Street, I'm actually wearing them right now :-)
Heidi, great thoughts and a wonderful reminder to me as well. What you spoke of is something that I also sometimes struggle with, and expect will continue to be a challenge for me over the years to come. Yes, we do need to constantly be on gaurd against automatically passing judgement on people simply based on their outward appearance and lifestyle, but instead first and foremost look for the image of Christ in them. Thanks again for the reminder.
Kevin, I agree that there are times when prophetic types will need to speak out, but it is such an important thing to have that balance between as Heidi said, restraining ourselves from not constructing other people's identities based on their possesions/activities/etc., and speaking out the Truth in Love. I would say though, that in my opinion, the persons who are speaking out hard Truths also need to be acting them out. The prophet can never simply be a person of words, but also has to be an actor or actress, acting and living out what he or she is putting forth.
Anonymous, I hope that the italicized things didn't distract from you being able to get the heart of the blog...
Labig, thanks for the thoughts. It is something worth considering, what do we look like to others... My prayer is that as we all become more like Christ in our attitudes and lifestyles, others will be drawn into a relationship with Him.
Peace to you all.
MP
I am sad to say that I no longer own any corduroys, though there may be a colorfully patched pair of of wide wale hippy-style flares out there somewhere many miles away...actually I barely own any real pants...mostly just the local style of "sirwal" some what like "turkish pants" but easily mistaken for MC Hammer pants.
anyways, I have been realizing as I cruise through your favorite city for the fortnight, how much I am a consumerist. The overwhelming mountains of clothes just cry out to my wallet. Which really surprises me because I always used to be against buying stuff so much in the states (I don't think I bought more than $20-30 worth of clothes the last 3 years I was there) until I got to a place where there was nothing to buy. This is generally true in the country where I live (that few things are of quality such that they are worth buying) but it was especially striking when shortly after a month of vacation in Europe, I spent 2 weeks in a village where there was actually no store. I could buy an animal maybe if I really wanted. or a palm tree. maybe a sand dune. even those things were actually not for sale to me since I was a guest...when I got back to the "big city" I just had to walk around the market just top see things, I had been so understimulated. It really made me laugh. I still am too cheap to buy anything, but I somehow enjoy being a part of consumer culture from a window shopping perspective. So I hope that doesn't mean I find my identity in these material things, but for some reason I do find myself wanting to defend materialism as strange as it seems - there is something positive about an abundance of goods. But that type of message is not really the one that most westerners need to hear... oh! prayer of Jabez flashback! ga!
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