Zachary Boyd from the US Army First Battalion, 26th Infantry, was sleeping when he came under attack from Taliban fighters in the Afghan hills. He woke up, grabbed his automatic gun, helmet and bulletproof jacket, but forgot his combat trousers. And so he went into battle with nothing covering his "bottom half" but a pair of pink boxer shorts with "I love NY" written all over them. David Guttenfelder, a war photographer, took a great action shot and the picture ended up on the front page of the New York Times for all to see (including the President of the USA).
Poor Zach! How embarrassing to be caught without his full uniform on. How dangerous too, for my guess is that pink boxers would stand out a bit and make him an easier target to spot.
Did you know that we Christians are in a battle and have a uniform to wear? The Apostle Paul sums up the letter to the Ephesians with a "call to arms". In Ephesians 6:10-20 Christians are commanded to put on the full armour of God, because we are engaged in a battle with the devil. God offers us his own mighty, impenetrable armour to wear in this battle. What is this armour? It is the gospel of Jesus and a life lived in a manner worthy of the gospel of Jesus.
So Christians are to "wear" and practice truth. We need to know the truth, live the truth, contend for the truth and proclaim the truth about Jesus.
Christians are to "wear" and practice righteousness. We are declared righteous by God in the gospel and we are to live out this righteous declaration with righteous actions.
Christians are to "wear" the gospel of peace. Having been saved through the gospel we should be prepared to share the gospel with others. And having received peace with God we are to be peace makers.
Christians are to take up the shield of faith. We are to keep on believing and trusting in God and having our faith express itself in good works for God and for others.
Christians are to "wear" salvation. We have been saved by grace, chosen by God and delivered from the jaws of death and judgment, and so we should rejoice, with confidence, in our salvation.
And Christians are to use the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. We are to read it, meditate on it, memorize it, live it and share it.
So let me ask you then, are you fully dressed in the armour of God, ready for battle? Is there any part of your life not fully protected? Are you leaving parts of your life vulnerable to attack from the devil? Don't make yourself an easy target. Don't you be caught with your pants down like poor old Zachary. It is dangerous to go into battle without full protection.
Put on the full armour of God!
