"Dressed for Success" Part 1: The Belt of Truth

There has been much talk in recent years about “dressing for success.” When someone goes for a job interview he or she is urged to dress appropriately, so as to make a good impression on prospective employers. The Bible, however, has many passages which speak of “dressing” for a much more important thing: that of our eternal salvation. Probably the best known of these passages is the following from Paul’s letter to the Ephesians:

“Therefore take the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having fastened the belt of truth around your waist, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the equipment of the gospel of peace; besides all these, taking the shield of faith, with which you can quench all the flaming darts of the Evil One. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” (Eph. 6:13-17)

How does one put on this armor, though? While meditating on this passage recently, God showed me some things that I’d like to share.

In John’s gospel it says that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. Therefore the more I come to know Jesus the more I come to know the truth. The more I learn about the truth of my faith, the more I am able to refute the lies of the devil, who is the father of lies.

As John tells us, “Jesus then said to the Jews who had believed in him, ‘If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.’” (Jn. 8:31-32)

To do this, I need to study God’s word and the teachings of the Church. I also need to spend time with others who believe and speak the truth, so that my faith is built up. My free time should be spent doing things that build up my faith (like spending time with family, reading good literature, watching wholesome movies, etc.).