Cleaning out the "pretty things"

I cleaned my closet today. By cleaned I mean I threw away a bunch of clothes. For once I actually went through my overloaded wardrobe and got rid of all the unnecessary. From that sheer floral shirt to the one that was a little too small. Funny thing is, I liked the un-necessaries. I liked the floral, the sheer, the small. It was pretty, it was fun, it was trendy- but it bordered on the edge of what I felt was immodest, something that shouldn't be messed with. Ever.
That's when I came to a realization today. I realized that if I want to honor God- completely, I need to get rid of all the nonsense in my "closet." All of it. No matter how lovely it may be or how beautiful and secure it might make me feel- it will only distract me. Taunt me. Confuse me about who I am.
I am God's child- so I need to act like one. Even if that means getting rid of the "pretty things."
In life, I think we are faced with many distractions. Various "pretty things." Things that appear beautiful- but are only a cheap comparison of what God has for us. We cling to them, chase them, want them, buy them and hide them safely away in our "closets." If only we would stop for just one minute and take a good look at all of the "prettiness." Maybe we'd see it for what it really is- an ugly distraction.  Maybe then we'd see and focus on what God wants for us. The True beauty that satisfies. The Beauty that can only be found when we completely focus on Him and clean out our closets.
 
"So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the message God has planted in your hearts..." James 1:21