The Uniform: Living Set Apart with Purpose
March 1996. I landed in San Diego, California, at the start of my journey to become a United States Marine. Within minutes, I was on a bus headed for Marine Corps Recruit Depot, and the yellow footprints that mark the beginning of transformation.
From the moment I arrived, the message was clear: I was not yet a Marine.
Yes, I wore a uniform every day, but I didn’t wear it with distinction.
It was wrinkled.
My sleeves weren’t right.
My trousers weren’t bloused.
My cover was off.
Most importantly, my uniform had no identifiers, no Eagle, Globe, and Anchor. Nothing that showed I belonged.
That reality hit hard. I was wearing the uniform, but I hadn’t earned what it represented.
Earning the Right to Stand Different
Over the next three months, everything changed.
Through discipline, repetition, and accountability, I earned the right to wear that uniform properly. I learned that how you carry yourself matters, because representation matters.
That uniform didn’t belong to me alone.
It represented every Marine who came before me and every Marine who would follow.
Once I earned it, I stood taller. I moved with confidence. I knew I belonged to something bigger than myself, and I had a responsibility to live up to it.
God Calls Us Set Apart
Colossians 3:12 says:
“Since God chose you to be the holy (set apart) people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.”
That verse reframed everything for me.
What if I approached my relationship with God the same way I approached wearing the uniform? What if every morning I intentionally put on His character the way I once put on my dress blues?
Mercy.
Kindness.
Humility.
Gentleness.
Patience.
Those aren’t abstract ideas, they’re identifiers.
Wearing the Uniform Is a Daily Choice
God has set us apart. But living set apart requires daily intention.
This isn’t about being better than others, it’s about being accountable to a higher calling. We carry a mission: to live in a way that reflects Christ and points others toward truth.
When I wore the Marine Corps uniform, people expected more from me, and they should have. I represented the Corps, my country, and myself.
When we clothe ourselves in God’s uniform, we represent Him. That carries weight. That demands responsibility.
Step Into the Mission
The uniform doesn’t put itself on.
Each day, we choose who we’re going to be. We choose how we show up. We choose whether we live set apart or blend in.
Put on the uniform.
Carry the mission.
Live with purpose.
That’s leadership.
