Spring 2023 has sprung in Broken Arrow, OK

Friday, October 19, 2012

Hats

As I was thinking and praying about my wife early this morning, I turned in my Bible to Ephesians chapter one where Paul is talking about Jesus and His current residence seated at the right hand of God.  Verse 21 says that He is “far above all principality and power and might and dominion and above every name that is named…” (NKJV)  Once I read that verse and copied it done in my note book, I leaned back in my chair and began to meditate on the immense power of His name.  After a few moments the word “Hats” suddenly came to mind.  That got me to sit upright in my chair as I thought “Hats?”  What does that have to do with anything?

Well, I might have been born at night, but it wasn’t last night!  With my lightning quick mind I figured that God was trying to make a point, so I sat back again and considered “Hats!”  What are they?  What are they for?  I had never been one that enjoyed wearing a hat.  I would wear them while playing baseball or in inclement weather, but they just always felt a little awkward for me.  As I grew older though… the forces of nature took over and I have been forced to wear a hat outside now just to protect my head from getting fried on hot sunny days or keep it warm during the cold winter season!

I am still particular about what hat I wear though.  I will only wear hats that have an emblem on them that I can comfortably associate with.  When I worked outside in Oklahoma my hat became my best friend!  It would always surprise co-workers when I would take it off when I came inside.  As one of the cashiers commented, she always thought of me as a “hat guy!”  For the first year in Oklahoma I proudly wore my Sonoma State College cap that my kids had bought me to commemorate my graduation from that school here in northern California. It not only gave me an association with the school but it gave me a link back to California some 1800 miles away from where I was!

I had to retire the hat when the navy blue color faded to an off white and our Home Depot decided to enforce the company standard that employees had to wear company hats or those of our vendors.  From there I switched to a hat of one of our tooling suppliers and eventually bought a white Home Depot hat that I still have today.  I was never one to don a hat that had some funny saying on it or one, once again, that I could not find an association with.  When I returned to California I was able to find an official collegiate Cal Bears hat that I could afford at a local Walmart.  I had always wanted to get one in Oklahoma, but they were hard to find and very expensive if you did happen across one.

I had followed the University of California at Berkeley Bear football team back in the 1980’s but had kind of lost contact with them over the years.  The main reason I had wanted to get the hat was because it said “Cal” on it and I wanted people to know my connection with my home state!  One day when I was out grocery shopping, a women stopped me in the isle and commented on my hat and then began asking me if I thought that they were going to win their next game against some school that I had never heard of!  Needless to say I was “busted.”  After trying to answer around the question I finally had to toss in the towel and let the lady know that I wasn’t really keeping up on the team.  She gave me “the look,” turned and walked away!

That incident really bothered me.  Here I was making a personal connection with the school by wearing the hat, but yet knew nothing about the current status of it or its sports program.  From there I made a point to get on my computer, pull up their web site and get re-acquainted with what was going on!  I now have a Cal app on my phone and stay current on their football team standings.  I even catch a game on TV when possible.
 
What does this all have to do with the name of Jesus?  Well, as my hats connect me with something that I associate with, as Christians we should be “wearing” the hat of Jesus wherever we go.  He should be the main one that we associate with and should be proud to let our colors show!

Our association with Him should not be like mine was when I wore the Cal hat without any knowledge of what was happening with the school or their teams.  Our connection should be up-to-date and vital to our everyday lives.  It should be one that we can knowledgably share with anyone who asks.  I would not want to have someone come up to me in the store and ask me about Jesus and then not know what to say!  2 Corinthians 3:6 says that He “hath made us to be able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life”  (Contemporary English Version)  He has imparted to us His ability to share His life giving Good News to our world, but it is up to us to study His word and know it’s contents so that we can intelligently and lovingly share it.

So, what hat are you going to wear today?  Are you ready to make a good showing for Him?  Remember our association with Him “giveth life!”  Let your expression carry that promise as you rub elbows with those all around you!  Have a great weekend.  Stay in tune to His Word, and keep asking yourself… “What am I expecting TO SHARE today?”

 

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