The Wanderer’s New Clothes

By Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

© God’s Breath Publications

 

We all know the children’s story of the “Emperor’s New Clothes.”

But I want to tell you the story of the “Wanderer’s New Clothes.”

 

Once upon a time there was a man who wandered the earth. He called no single place home for he never felt content with any place he visited. He avoided people as much as possible for he couldn’t get along with anyone. He worked hard to feed himself and provide for his needs, but his clothes always looked tattered, worn out and downright dirty. He washed himself regularly but no matter how hard he tried or what type of soaps he used, he still had a rather pungent smell about him. This caused him much concern and didn’t help with how people treated him. He hated people and they hated him.

 

One day he was bathing in the shallows of a river trying to get his hands and arms clean. No matter how much he scrubbed they always looked discolored and stained. Then he heard someone behind him say, “Do you want to be really clean?”

 

The Wanderer turned around and there stood a man all dressed in white. As the Wanderer gazed upon this impressive figure his eyes fixated on the man’s eyes. He sensed a love he had never known as he gazed into the deep brown eyes. But he had another feeling as well, as if the man was looking deep within his soul. The man broke his stare by saying again, “Do you want to be really clean?”

 

The Wanderer replied, “Yes, I do.”

 

The stranger came closer to the Wanderer.

 

“Come, sit down and let me tell you how to be cleaner than you have ever known and let me clothe you in fine white garments.”

 

The Wanderer waded out of the water onto the hot sandy beach. They sat down together on a log nearby and the stranger told him a most amazing story. He spoke of the God in the Heavens who loved all mankind. But the problem was, God was as pure as pure could be and people were filthy, dirty in thought and deed. God could not have a relationship with such filth so He made a way that anyone could become clean through and through.

 

The Wanderer became very interested in this story and especially in this plan of God to cleanse people of their filth. The Wanderer thought of his filthy garments, his stinky body and his hatred of mankind and their hatred for him. “Please go on.” Stated the Wanderer.

 

The man continued with his story. He spoke of how the only way for anyone to become clean was to have someone pay the price for cleansing. But the price was so high no one could pay it themselves, not even a whole nation of individuals or a whole world people with all their resources and riches.

 

“How did God pay for the cost of this cleansing?” asked the Wanderer.

 

The man smiled. “He let his one and only Son pay the price.”

 

“How did he pay such a high price? Was he rich beyond imagination? Was he a king?” asked the Wanderer.

 

“Well he was a king of sorts. The way he paid the price for cleansing was to die.”

 

“I don’t understand?” said the Wanderer.

 

“Well you see the only way to be fully cleansed and receive new clean garments is to pay for it with innocent blood that was pure without any defect. That’s how high God’s standard is for purity and cleanliness in order to have a relationship with Him.”

 

The Wanderer looked at the man with puzzlement. “But why such a high standard for just looking clean and having some new clean clothing?”

 

The man replied, “ Well you see, God wants to have a relationship with people who are clean and pure inside. Just looking clean on the outside is not good enough.”

 

The Wanderer thought of his hatred for people and his resentment for how they treated him. He began to see that possibly the reason he could never get himself clean was because of the condition of his soul. It was filthy and he knew it.

 

Tears rolled down the face of the Wanderer gathering dirt and dust as they trickled down and off his chin.

 

The man put his arm around the Wanderer and whispered in his ear, “Do you want to be really clean, through and through?”

 

“Yes I do. I really do. I realize how bad I am. I want to be clean not just on the outside, but most importantly on the inside. I want to have friends, but most of all I want God to be my friend. I wish I could know His Son who died to make all this possible.”

 

“You can know God’s Son.”

 

“But He died to cleanse people.”

 

“He did die, but He came back to life.”

 

“How is that possible.”

 

“It’s possible because God’s Son was so pure He not only paid the debt for all the filth in the world, but was able to overcome death itself.”

 

“So where is He now.”

 

“He’s sitting right beside you.”

 

The Wanderer’s eyes opened wide in amazement. “You’re the Son of God?”

 

“Yes, I am. Do you want to be really clean?”

 

“Yes, please. I accept what you did for me and everyone else. I do believe you can cleanse me. I will dedicate my life to telling others about who you are and what you did. I will do this no matter what happens to me.”

 

“It is done.”

 

Suddenly the Wanderer felt a burning sensation all through his body. He felt the warmth of God’s love and the love of His Son. He looked at his hands and noticed they were clean as could be. He looked at his clothes and they were white, just like the man he had met, white as snow.

 

“Thank you, thank you. I feel wonderful. All the hatred is gone. I feel so clean. God bless you.”

 

“You now are a new man. You have a new heart and new clothes. May you now wander the earth to find as many as possible who want to be clean.”

 

“I will. I will tell everyone I meet about the amazing love of God and His Son who died to make everyone clean. May I ask what your name is?”

 

“Of course. I am Jesus Christ the Savior of the world.”

 

‘I love you Jesus. I love God and I know both of you love me.”

 

“Yes we love you. Don’t be surprised if you sense someone else in your life, for my Father and I have also given you His Spirit to live within you. He will comfort and guide you in your new life. Enjoy your new clothes and your new soul.”

 

Galatians 3:27-28

“…for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.”

 

Colossians 3:12-13

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”

 

1 Peter 5:5

“All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’”

 

Romans 13:13-14

“Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.”