Cut From the Same Cloth

Cut From the Same Cloth

Long before Armani, Calvin Klein, and Ralph Lauren became household names, men’s suits were often produced on those old pedaloperated sewing machines that now adorn the shelves of antique stores. The talented seamstresses that operated them knew that it was essential to cut both the jacket and trousers from the same piece of fabric because it was the only way to ensure that the suit would match.

Although most of the quaint sewing shops of yesterday have been replaced by large clothing manufacturers, we still occasionally echo a phrase that was once a byword among people in the fashion industry. When we say that two or more people are “cut from the same cloth”, we mean that they are very similar in appearance, behavior, or both.

Ironically, there are so many trends and patterns in our world today that it’s often difficult to find a suit or, much less, two people that are cut from the same cloth. That fact is compounded by the media and social networks which constantly remind us that unless we embrace diversity or accept change, we are closed -minded.

But have things really changed that much since the first century? The strict, and often overbearing, boundaries set by the Jewish leaders frequently collided with the morally relaxed behavior of the Romans. Christ’s disciples found themselves caught between these two extremes, which prompted Paul’s reminder in Ephesians 5: “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God” (vs. 1-2).

Would people say that we have been cut from the same cloth as Jesus, or are we trying to keep up with the latest and greatest moral trends?

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