Armor Required - Episode 49

In this episode Gigi shares a vivid experience of shopping with her young grandchildren which serves as a crucial reminder of the need to don the "Armor of God" from Ephesians 6:13-17. Hear her compelling call to action: be mindful and kind, as our choices significantly impact ourselves and those around us. By wearing our spiritual armor, we not only protect ourselves but also foster a more compassionate world in the process.

 Resources Mentioned:

 Ephesians 6:13-17

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Transcript

Aloha Ladies- Welcome Back. 

It's been a while. I wasn't kidding when I shared in the last episode that I've been in the wilderness.    

I'm still there, and you know what? It's Okay! 

But, I didn't want you to think I'd completely abandoned the ship. No, I'm still around—in the refining process, and I'm just asking the Lord what He has next.   

But in the waiting, God's been reminding me of something significant, and it's something that we so easily overlook, especially when life becomes routine.   

And that something, you ask? Well, instead of outright saying it, I'd rather share how God reminded me…. It came from a blog I wrote back in 2017—an incident I had completely forgotten about.  

So, let me read it to you. 

Words almost escape me, ALMOST.    

 Rude, selfish, self-absorbed, obnoxious, and unbelievable are the words that immediately come to mind while shopping with my daughter and grandchildren after we mistakenly leave the stroller at home.  

 Have you ever gone shopping for clothes with a four-year-old and a one-year-old who must be carried at all times?

 Let me tell you, it is an almost impossible task!

 The harsh words form because the store provides special shopping carts that allow children to ride freely and provide space for your items to be purchased.

 The problem is there isn’t a single kid cart to be found because all are being used by women who have no children and are using the kid space for their purses!  

 They are having a pleasant shopping experience without a care in the world because their hands are free. There are no screaming, whining children to either hold or herd around the store.  

 What's worse, they push their kid cart right in front of us as we juggle and struggle with the kids and the clothes, and yet they don't even give us a second glance! They are so self-absorbed in their little world that they might as well be walking around in their birthday suits, utterly oblivious to the world around them.

 And I kick myself for leaving the stroller at home and smart over the discourtesy of others. 

 So, we quickly shop and leave.  

 But, what lingers is this idea of battle when we venture out into the world and how we should conduct ourselves, reminding me of Paul’s instructions for being prepared and putting on the “Armor of God” found in Ephesians 6:13-17:

 “Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

 For this particular day, the breastplate of righteousness seems particularly fitting.  

 I know the word "righteous" gets a bad rap in our society as it suggests a superior attitude, but the Biblical meaning of the word is "doing or pursuing what is right."

 Being "righteous" simply means being kind, thoughtful, generous, keeping your word, and not cutting corners, being lazy, lying, or cheating.  Being unthoughtful! 

 Being righteous can be found in the little things like not cutting people off in traffic, not taking that last kid shopping cart when you have no children with you, not parking in a handicapped spot, and not reacting in angry outbursts when people are rude and inconsiderate! 

 Do you realize that when you leave "your breastplate of righteousness" off, you leave your heart unprotected? When unprotected, we are vulnerable to the attacks of evil, and it is so much easier for us to allow our iniquities to run rampant.

 We then become thoughtless, callous, rude, and self-important. 

 We overreact and unnecessarily confront others.   

 We harden our hearts and damage our relationship with Christ.  

 All of the pieces of armor are important for us to wear daily (truth surrounding us like a belt, breastplate protecting our heart, wearing spiritual shoes to help us spread the gospel of peace, taking up our shield of faith to protect us from both physical and spiritual dangers, the helmet of salvation to keep our minds from discouragement and despair, and our sword (the very word of God) which empowers us to handle any situation! 

 By not putting on our armor, we might as well be naked--blind to those around us, vulnerable to the evil in this world, and powerless to our weaknesses and inequities. But when we do put on our armor, we are wrapped in a blanket of security, knowing that we are protected and safe from the attacks of the enemy.

 So, to the women in the store hogging the kid carts (or wagons, as they say here in Hawai'i), you forgot your breastplate of righteousness—but it’s a good thing I had mine! 

 Ladies, remember, God has given us His armor, and the Apostle Paul thought we needed to understand the importance of being battle-ready and keeping our armor on!  Why?  Because we will face many battles, some pure evil and others common discourtesies. We never know precisely what we may be called to face each time we leave our homes. But with the equipment the Lord provides, we can face these challenges confidently, knowing that we have all the strength, resources, provision, and protection that we need.  

 Don't go around naked; what you choose to wear impacts you and those around you! 

 The Armor of God- don’t leave home without it!