HELEN SANDERS
1-24-2025
HAND-ME-DOWNS

Like so many others, I grew up in a home that was very modest. You could say that we were poor as far as money goes, and things, although we were rich in love.

I came across a picture taken of me when I was about five and it brought back some memories. I was the youngest of four children, and all my clothes were what one might call hand-me-downs. We could not afford new clothes. I inherited my older brother’s blue jeans, shirts and socks and shoes. If you look at the picture closely you will see that my socks never stayed put. I was constantly having to pull them up. They had already been worn when I received them, and they were either too big or too small. Although there were no holes in them, and they were clean, they never stayed up on my legs.

As I was thinking about hand-me-downs, and don’t get me wrong, I was thankful for everything that I had, it made me realize that there are more than one kind of hand-me-downs. There are spiritual hand-me-downs too.

These spiritual hand-me-downs are often traditions of men rather than the scripture. They are ideas that are passed along. These ideas like my socks just don’t “fit” and when tested against scripture, do not “stay up” for long. They instead are someone else’s opinion of what the scriptures say and often are not accurate.

God doesn’t want us to rely on spiritual hand-me-downs. He wants us to learn from him and always have it fresh or new. Yes, we learn from the Pastor, Teacher, Apostle, Evangelist, and Prophet, but God wants to talk to us one on one.

When we learn things from God ourselves by reading the scriptures and praying, they always “fit.” They are a “matched fit.” He does not want us to settle for someone else’s socks that just do not fit. He wants to dress each of us in his robe of righteousness and talk to us like he talked to Moses. Face to Face! He knows exactly what we need to hear and will speak to us if we listen.

You may be poor in the natural, or experienced poverty, but you do not have to be poor spiritually. God wants to gift you and supply every need that you have. The scriptures tell us in Psalm 37:4, that when we delight ourselves in the Lord that He will give us the desires of our heart.

He has a new pair of spiritual socks waiting for you. Ask Him for them.