I quite like the line I used below when I say, “…we’re not only called to be sons and servants, but soldiers.” That being said, it becomes a worthy question to ask, “Am I behaving in line with my role and function as a soldier?” And, in keeping with a central theme of this reading, “Am I conforming to the dress code of that role?” To be sure, a warrior who anticipates facing hand to hand combat would not be very smart to be simply wearing a bikini!
There is a huge amount of inspiration and guidance that can be gleaned from this passage. I could get carried away. But I’ll try to hold my “focus” to this one phrase. (I hope you read the passage.)
A very good place to draw some practical meaning from this idea of being “dressed ready for service” is Ephesians 6. That’s where Paul presents the required apparel of the Christian soldier. Even that metaphor is significant—meaning that we’re not only called to be sons and servants, but soldiers—meaning that there is warfare to wage—meaning that there is a spiritual battle over the territory of the eternal souls of men. In review, those vital pieces of apparel to continually wear in the battle zone of life are truth (true thinking that flows from God’s Word), righteousness (right relationship with God), training (knowing what you believe and why), faith (believing God enough to obey Him), salvation (the composite result of all the above), and “the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God” (Eph. 6:10-18)—not only a means of defense, but our only means of offense.
We could quote Psalm 119:105 to mix in some amplification of “keep your lamps burning.” It goes, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” Without the illumination of His Word, we are indeed walking in the dark. But with it, being infilled and enlightened by it, we actually become a special kind of light in this dark world. Make no mistake about it. This is God’s intent for your role and function. In the process, you’re not going to “win them all,” but you can “let your little light shine.” Read again Matthew 5:13-16.
Do you see in this the all-encompassing importance of God’s Word? So why would we ever think we could fare well without its guidance and influence?