Red Satin Shirts

Inspired by Our Father May 24, 2006

 

Once Upon a Time in the Garden of Paradise, Adam and Eve went shopping to the Garden of Paradise Mall.  Adam had gone with Eve on many occasions and was always beside her as she roamed the mall.  But this day, he decided to sit on a bench in front of the Paradise Mall Bakery and Cafe and watched her from a distance as she browsed through the new clothing and accessory lines of hundreds of stores.  Eve passed the ‘Get a Bargain Today Center’ many times just window shopping but this day she saw a red satin blouse shimmering in the window; it was on sale. When Adam shopped with her, he told her, “Honey, ‘Get a Bargain Today Center’ is off limits; the high prices and quality of the products aren’t worth the money.”  He also told her about the time when he and his dad went shopping. He told him, “Save your money son, never buy anything from this store; the price you pay is too much and in the end, you lose more than what you bargained for.”  But on this particular day, Eve glanced at the window. She noticed that the blouse was not $500 but now marked down to $50.  “Can you believe it, $50,” she thought?  She couldn’t believe her eyes. Eve thought to go get Adam, but in such overwhelming excitement, she dashed into the store only to inquire about the sale, not to buy the blouse, but to inquire, she justified.  So as she went to the rack where all the red satin blouses were, she couldn’t help but touch the fabric sliding across her fingers; she also rubbed the fabric against her cheek.  Eve wasn’t aware the salesman had deceived her. He was so eager to get a sale for the day, he put a torn blouse on display in the window and hid the rip on the side to lure customers into the store. Eve paid little attention to the price when she entered the store because she had touched and felt the fabric on her skin.  “Isn’t that a beautiful blouse,” the salesman asked? “Oh madam you must try it on, your husband would just love you in it. You see, we added a little spandex in the fabric so it will fit perfectly on you. Go ahead, try it on,” shouted the salesman. (Spandex and satin, no way) Eve replied, “I don’t know, I am not even supposed to be shopping in this store, maybe I should go.”  “No, no madam, I assure you when you buy this blouse your husband will be floored by how good it looks on you.”  Eve thought for a moment, “But my father may not be pleased because he told me about the quality of your product and that it isn’t good quality.” The salesman replied, “Madam I assure you I have been working here for over 200 years and none of my clients have ever complained about the quality of my clothing.  Matter of fact, no one has ever returned anything back to the store. (Of course not Adam and Eve are the only shoppers in the whole world). What does your father know, he has never sold clothing before? He really doesn’t know what quality is, now does he?” Eve thought for a moment, “No, maybe he doesn’t.” The salesman explained, “So after you buy this blouse you will be the first to experience satin. You will be the only one in the city to have a red satin blouse.” Eve picked out the blouse in her size and went into the dressing room to try it on.  She could not believe her eyes; she looked trimmer and yet fuller in the right places, even the mirror in the dressing room said to her, “You look marvelous darling!”  Eve loved the blouse so much she didn’t want to take it off.  She excitedly paid $500, the full price for the blouse, then ran to Adam to show it off.  Adam had just finished reading his Agriculture Today Magazine while sitting at the Paradise Bakery and Cafe when he looked up and saw Eve walking through the mall with a tight-fitting red satin blouse on. Adam thought, it looked two sizes too small, but he dared to say anything.  The first thing he said was, “Honey, how much did you spend?”  She replied, “Not much, honey, just look at how it looks on me.” Adam asked, “Honey, is that the blouse we use to see in the Get a Bargain Today Center?”  She said, “Yes, but isn’t it beautiful?”  Adam said, “Oh, of course, it looks really good on you.”  Before he could say another word, she grabbed Adam by the hand and said, “Come on sweetheart, they have one that fits you too.”  He said “Honey, but men do not wear red or satin; I just can’t see myself in red.” “Oh, honey come on let’s just see.”  Eve brought Adam into the store and said, “Honey, look, there is one in your size, try it on so we can match.”  So Adam put on his red satin spandex shirt that made his muscles and pecks bulge through every seam.  “Wow honey you look awesome!” said Eve as he strutted in the mirror. Adam asked the salesman, “How much does my shirt cost?” The salesman replied, “Yours will be $1000 because yours was imported from ‘The Kingdom is Mine Boutique.’ So Adam and Eve bought their red satin shirt and blouse that day and before leaving the store, they also bought some lime green matching pants.  As they were strolling through the mall, they saw their dad getting his daily exercise walking through the mall with his Nike tennis shoes on.  Adam anxiously said, “Honey, let’s run into the ‘Herbal of all Essence’ store for a few moments.”  So as they were hiding in the ‘Herbal of All Essence’ store, dad walked by and saw them; he couldn’t help but notice them, their red satin shirts lit up the mall.  Dad said, “Son, what are you doing? Why are you hiding? Son, what are you wearing?” Adam replied, “Eve picked the shirt out for my birthday and I didn’t want to hurt her feelings, so I put it on.” Dad said to Eve, “My daughter, what were you thinking, men do not wear red satin shirts? And why is that blouse so tight on you?” Eve, knowing she can’t manipulate her dad said, “Well, the salesman said it would look good on me and I didn’t want to look good by myself so I bought one for Adam.”  Dad looked at Adam and couldn’t believe his eyes. He said to Adam, “Son, lime green pants, you look silly in those tight squeezing high water pants! Oh no, you both can’t be seen in the town like that with me; I must do something, so you both won’t look ridiculous. Let’s go to ‘My Son’s Righteousness’ store and I will buy you some NEW clothes.”  So dad, Adam, and Eve went to ‘My Son’s Righteousness’ store and bought them some brand new high-quality clothes. For Eve, he picked out a white pearl laced gown trimmed with rubies, diamonds, beryl, and many precious stones. He also gave her a beautiful diamond ring engraved with, My Precious Daughter, I love you, Dad. For Adam, he bought him a white tuxedo with gold cuff links and a gold ring that said, Son, I love you, Eternally Dad.  They left the mall and went home.

 

 

After that day, things in the Garden of Paradise were never the same. Father forgave them for ignoring his desires when they went to the store he told them never to go into. He wanted to restore the relationship they use to enjoy together. He kept reaching out to them for intimate fellowship and conversation, but they kept their distance. You see, Adam and Eve never threw away the red satin shirt and the red satin blouse. They even kept those yucky lime green pants hidden in the closet.  When they felt like acting independent and mischievous, they closed their room door and paraded around in those ugly clothes; they thought they were free, but in reality, they were still in bondage to the salesman’s desires and couldn’t fully enjoy their Father’s love.

 

The message from this story to us is, we must remember the garments of the flesh are tainted by the liar and manipulator who sold them to us. He deceived us into believing, thinking independently on our own, without following our Father’s desires would make us look and feel good about ourselves.  But the truth is, the clothes he dresses our minds with are only deceptions which hide the truth of who we are and whose we really are.

 

 

 

So today, if you hear our Father’s sweet voice, He is calling us to say to put away our red satin blouse and our red satin shirt, and our lime green pants and embrace the TRUTH the beautiful garments Father has purchased at ‘My Son’s Righteousness’ Store through His blood shed for us on the Cross. Always remember… Christ Righteousness is more than enough, and because His life is the only one that will ever please our Father.  Allow Christ to live His life through you TODAY!