211. The Stereophonics “Handbags and Gladrags,”

“Handbags and Gladrags,” was written in 1967 by Mike d'Abo. Its first incarnation was as a single by British belter Chris Farlowe, who had a modest success with it in his native country. Its biggest chart success came when Stereophonics turned it into a Top 10 UK hit after releasing it as a single in 2001. Earlier that same year, the song gained perhaps its biggest exposure when it was used as the music for the opening and closing credits for The Office, which would become one of the most critically-acclaimed television comedies ever.  All of those takes are fine, but the definitive version of the song came from Rod Stewart, who included it on his 1969 debut album An Old Raincoat Will Never Let You Down  Stewart badgered D’Abo, who wrote the song while he was the frontman for Manfred Mann in ’67, for the chance to record the track, and D’Abo relented once Stewart scored an album deal.

Ever seen a blind man cross the road
Trying to make the other side?
Ever seen a young girl growing old
Trying to make herself a bride?

So what becomes of you, my love?
When they have finally stripped you of
The handbags and the gladrags
That your poor old granddad
Had to sweat to buy you, baby

Once I was a young man
And all I thought I had to do was smile
Well, you are still a young girl
And you've borne everything in style

So once you think you're in, you're out
'Cause you don't mean a single thing without
The handbags and the gladrags
That your poor old granddad
Had to sweat to buy you

Sing a song of six-pence for your sake
And drink a bottle full of rye
Four and twenty blackbirds in a cake
And bake 'em all in a pie

They told me you missed school today
So what I suggest you just throw them all away
The handbags and the gladrags
That your poor old granddad
Had to sweat to buy

They told me you missed school today
So what I suggest you just throw them all away
The handbags and the gladrags
That your poor old granddad
Had to sweat to buy you

In a 2003 interview with Britain’s The Sunday Express, D’Abo, who also co-wrote The Foundations’ classic “Build Me Up Buttercup,” explained that “Handbags and Gladrags” was meant to suggest that fashion and style weren’t everything, a message that certainly bucked the trend in youth culture at the time. “I knew it was a social comment,” he said. “The moral of the song is saying to a teenage girl that the way to happiness is not being trendy. There are deeper values.” D’Abo’s lyrics imply that fashion’s fickle nature can leave anyone relying on it for their well-being in a world of hurt. “But once you think you’re in you’re out,” Stewart sings, “’Cause you don’t mean a single thing without/The handbags and the gladrags that your granddad had to sweat so you could buy.” The singer plays the role of caring friend throughout, finally urging the girl to get her priorities straight and leave behind the stylish trappings before it’s too late: “They told me you missed school today/So I suggest you just throw them all away.” Styles may change and trends may come and go, but it’s a safe bet that “Handbags and Gladrags,” as sung by the Stereophonics won’t ever go out of fashion. The devotional passage today comes from Paul's letter to the Romans. In Chapter 12 Paul speaks of the value of human life not by conforming to the world but by living life in relationship with God and others.

The world’s philosophy is pretty simple: If you want something, go get it (partners, possessions, and power). People are important primarily because of what they can do for you. If they can’t do anything for you, don’t waste your time on them. Public opinion defines truth … popularity is more important than holiness. Faith and everyday living are unrelated. Live for the moment and don’t concern yourself with consequences. You are the center of your universe; don’t let anyone push you around! Our world also screams tolerance and truth is not absolute (what’s good for you is good for you). Paul is saying don't be shaped by these influences. How much television do you watch in the course of a week? How many movies do you watch in the course of a year? What type of music do you listen to? What magazines, books, and websites do you read? How much time are you devoting to social networking? Who are your friends? What type of influence do they have on you? What are your hobbies? How do you send your down time?

Even though Paul is writing to the church, we are a group of individuals. These verses are speaking specifically to YOU. Will one diseased fish affect the whole tank? Will one mad cow infect the whole herd? Will one person conformed to the world have an affect on our church? YES! Hence, I dare you to be different. Stand up and be the person God has created you to be. Don’t go with the flow; go against the grain. Rebel against the status quo—become all that God intended for you. Your life will be an adventure.

Turning from the negative to the positive, Paul goes on to say, “but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” The term “transformed” is the Greek word metamorphoo, which forms the root for the English word “metamorphosis.” When a tadpole is changed into a frog or when a caterpillar becomes a butterfly, we speak of it as a metamorphosis. That is what God wants for each of His children. At what stage are you in this transformation? Are you staying in the larva stage? Caterpillar? Baby butterfly? Full-grown butterfly? Where are you on the journey to maturity of faith?

There are three observations that can be related to the verb metamorphoo: (1) Paul uses the present tense: this is not an “on again, off again” transformation, but a continuous one. (2) The verb is passive, the implication being that the catalyst in the transformation is God. (3) The verb is imperative, indicating that we do indeed have a responsibility. The Spirit “changes” us and enables us to offer ourselves completely to God. This takes place in the mind, which is renewed or changed (lit. “made new again and again”) by the Holy Spirit. Before you knew Jesus you were so accustomed to rebellion that you wore a groove into your heart and mind, like a river cutting a gorge through rock. What you now need to do is make some new grooves. That’s why Paul says you must be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

So how can you renew your mind? Saturate yourself in godly thinking. Read God’s Word. But it is really more than just reading. It is a matter of absorbing and interacting with God's Word. When we read the Bible we must constantly be asking ourselves, “What does this mean for my daily life.” Saturating ourselves in godly thinking also means exposing ourselves to godly writers, teachers, and influences. We need to meet regularly with friends who share our commitment to Christ. We must work to expand our thinking so that we are not just one-dimensional believers. Memorise Scripture. But you may object, “Memorisation has never come easily for me.” “I’m too old; my mind left me a long time.” For what it’s worth, you can memorise Scripture. The great men and women I know who have been successful at this discipline have merely read various sections of Scripture over and over and the memorization took care of itself. You don’t need a Navigator’s Scripture Memory System. Just read and meditate on Scripture and watch how God hides it in your heart. Slow down. It has been said that all people in western culture have three idols: Size, Noise, and Speed! Worship runs in the opposite direction. It reminds us of our littleness. It reminds us to be still, and know that He is God (Ps 46:10 ESV). It reminds us that we need to wait upon the Lord. Today would you begin the discipline of renewing your mind by getting away from the hustle, bustle, and distraction of life? Turn off the TV, turn off the radio, turn off your cell phone, shut down your computer, and hear from God.

Paul concludes that you are to present your body and renew your mind so that you may “prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable  and perfect.” The key word is “prove” (doximazo).  Notice, Paul doesn’t speak of “finding” or “discovering” God’s will. He says that you can “prove” God’s will. You can know God's will and you can go on knowing it. However, the apostle is not dealing with questions such as: Should I get married? Where should I go to college? Should I buy a new house? Should I move to Leeds or to Bradford? These questions are important, but they are secondary when it comes to God’s will. The “will of God” here deals with obedience to His general will. As you obey God’s revealed will, He may well unveil His specific will for your life. But if you refuse to obey His explicit moral will, there’s no point praying for God to reveal His specific, individual will for your life. If you obey the clear injunctions of this text, God’s will “finds” you!

God wants your body and your mind; He wants all of you. Is there anything or anyone that you are withholding from God? Is your marriage and family yielded to Him? Is your vocation His? What about your finances or hobbies? Will you present yourself to Him today and every day hereafter? If you will, your life will never be the same. Get Romans 12:1-2  and all that flows out of it into your brain and life. It serves as a reminder that you are a citizen of heaven. You belong to heaven. Will you live for the Lord today by constantly renewing your mind?