Ed, my neighbour next door, believes in cheap, cheaper and cheapest, except when it comes to trucks, farm machinery, and men's suits. More wet weather has had Ed trapped between soggy fields and his idle seeding equipment. He has been so frustrated that he is like a dog ready to bite anything that moves. Ruby heard we were going to Regina for the day, so she hinted and kind of begged us to take Ed off her hands for a few hours of stress relief for herself.
I warned my wife Ed would get on her nerves, especially on the long drive there and back. She mumbled something about being used to it, which made no sense to me. Ed sure can whine and feel sorry for himself. He claims the spring so far has been so bad he is stuck at home rather than out at the farm. At home, he has nothing to do but read the toothpaste box. He has memorized "fights cavities, fights tartar, freshens breath and gently removes surface stains" so he whispers it in his sleep.
By the time we reached the Sears Bargain Center at Regina my wife disappeared like a shot into the store. Before she left at warp speed, she suggested Ed help me look at men's suits. That's when Ed did one of his personality changes. He became Pesky Salesman. He informed me I'd never get anything worthwhile unless it was made to measure. In Ed's less than kind words, "You're too short and fat to find anything to fit off the regular racks. Besides, you need to go to Moore's, or Tip Top Tailor's and get a good quality suit that will last you for years."
"If I don't find something here, I'll go to Value Village and have a look," I told Ed.
"You are too old for hand-me-downs," Ed insisted.
"They are not free, you have to pay for them," I answered.
"Yeah but, you don't know who wore the suit before you," he said in desperation.
"It doesn't matter. The person isn't wearing it now," I stated.
Yes, it was a fateful day! I did buy a suit and Ed insisted it be put in the trunk not in the back seat beside him. Ed had to get the last word in, "I always thought you were well dressed in your suits until now."
Isn't it strange how what other people buy can bother, upset and disappoint us? What people wear, the place where they purchased it, their lack of wisdom between new and used - these may offend us. At the heart of us is the need to judge others and be concerned about the wrong things.
James spoke of this to the Jerusalem church, "Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, 'Here's a good seat for you,' but say to the poor man, 'You stand there' or 'Sit on the floor by my feet,' have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?"
God told the prophet Samuel, "Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."
I believe clothes don't make or break a person. Yet, what is in their heart will shape their destiny for good or ill both now and for all eternity.
