The Orange Suit

As I opened the door to the doctor’s office my eyes are drawn to the bright orange color invading the front desk. As my eyes come into focus I see a young man in handcuffs struggling to sign his name on the digital tablet. Beside him is a man dressed in black with his right hand affixed on his gun. I laughed a little to myself because he reminded me of Barney Fife, due to his small statue and the way he carried himself. When the man in the orange suit completed checking in, he and the officer went to the back of the room. The officer remained standing with his hand not moving a millimeter from the gun on his side. He positioned himself only a foot from the man in the orange suit, who was now sitting down. I proceeded to check in and then turned around to find a seat. At this time, only one other person was in the waiting room. I looked at all the available seats and had my choice of 15 or so. Something inside of me wanted to go sit by the man in the orange suit. I proceeded to walk to the back of the room to sit in proximity of him. I had to laugh to myself again because ole Barney was fidgeting a bit by my choice. Within minutes the waiting room was full. As I watched each individual come into the waiting room, they all had the same reaction. They would look at the man in orange and then quickly look away. After the initial look, it was as if they were afraid to look again. One by one, they seated themselves in the front of the room, away from us. There was even a couple of seats empty by me, but they chose to stand instead of getting close to us. I noticed the man in orange shifting back and forth in his seat. I looked over at him and our eyes locked. His eyes widened in surprise as if he was being looked at for the first time. I smiled at him and his eyes lit up. He smiled not only physically, but from within. I said to him “It must feel good to get out and enjoy the sunshine today”. He responded “Oh, yes it is”. He immediately followed with “I am so embarrassed, I am so embarrassed, this is not me”. “I don’t belong in these clothes or where I am”. I responded “well sometimes we have to go through things that do not make sense to bring change within us or to our lives”. “On the other side of this you will be stronger and better”. “You will be able to take this experience and make a positive impact in your life and others”. He looked at me with a light in his eyes and said “that is a whole different perspective and a great way to look at this”. We proceeded to exchange in other conversations about all sorts of things. The door opened and the nurse called my name. I got up from my seat and stopped, turned to him and said “I wish you well, you’ve got this and I will be praying for you.” His “thank you” was the most genuine thank you I have ever received. As I left the doctor’s office I was looking forward to my 2 hour drive home. I enjoy drives alone because it is uninterrupted time with God, which is hard to come by in this busy world of ours. As I started to pray, I couldn’t shake the feeling of being so drawn to the man in the orange suit. I asked God, “why was it that I had to position myself close to him, why did I need to talk to him”. It was bigger than just to acknowledge him and validate him as a person, I knew that. Within minutes, the overwhelming flood came upon me. The realization that I have been the man in the orange suit many times in my life. So many times I have worn that suit. Sometimes of my own doing, but more often than not I had been made to wear it because others put it on me. They put those restraints on me and stood by me with their hand on their gun…ready….waiting…expecting that I might try to get free from the prison or box they had placed me in. The only difference between the man in the orange suit and myself is that my orange suit wasn’t literal, but it was something very tangible in my life. Due to my past mistakes, failures, and sins I was placed in a prison of unworthiness. I was placed in the category of damaged material. No matter how hard I tried there was nothing that I could do to take that mark off of me. It was if I had a label on my forehead. All the changes, all the breakthroughs, and all the good I did or had inside of me did not matter. To some, I would forever be in their prison. Never to be set free, never to be redeemed, and never to be made whole. Truth is they treated me like the man in the orange by hardly looking at me, avoiding me, as if they might be damaged just by being in proximity of me. They never even tried to know my heart, spirit, and mind. They just stayed in their one sided distorted perception and would not even give me an opportunity. It is so strange to me that often the ones that proclaim to want you to be set free, understand your worth, purpose, and to love you, are the very ones who attempt to keep you bound. They proclaim to accept, forgive and love, but yet will not allow you to take off the orange suit they have placed you in. That man in the orange suit is just a representation of how many are treated if their “sins” have been exposed whether it be a divorce, child out of wedlock, addictions, criminal record,unruly children, financial status not up to par, and the list goes on. The understanding is quickly given, that God only has a limited ability to use you. You are too broken and damaged, now don’t get me wrong God can heal all of you, but that will not make you worthy. You will still be required to wear “the Mark”, the orange suit. Guess what….they are completely and undeniably WRONG! God can and will take you out of that orange suit period. Your past may not look like the pretty picture that others want it to, but God has redeemed you totally. God truly not only forgives, he wipes you clean. You are anew! When you really grab ahold of the fact that he does not think like we do, love like we do, hold onto the past like we do….then you can take off that orange suit whether they want you to or not. Look at his past….who did he use the most, the broken, the damaged, the least likely. If you really believe the bible then you know that he sees what the world calls the worst of the worst the same as he sees the self-righteous. He truly loves, he truly forgives, and again I say he truly loves. He sees the beauty, the potential, and the purpose. He can take you and place you on the mountain top with his undeniable light beaming through you. It does not matter your past mistakes or even mistakes you will make in the future. His love, grace, and mercy never fail, nor are they limited. Whether you are being held back in going to the next level with God, a ministry, financial increase, business ideas, or just breaking free from a situation in your life…..God is not a God of bondage. Those desires are there because they are meant to come to fruition. God is not a God of chains, fear, and limitations. He most definitely does not want to keep you in that orange suit. He has “marked” you alright!!! As his most loved, worthy, and capable child!!!