After a recent break up of a long-term relationship, I pestered God for a “patch” in a time of grief: “Just help me get her back. Lord.” Jesus challenges me in this passage not to be patched but rather to be made new.

With prayer and reflection, I’ve come to see how a quick fix of the relationship would have ultimately worsened the tears caused by my struggles with honesty, faithfulness, and lust. The gospel message is not one that comfortably ties in with old ways. Jesus promises John’s disciples something beyond what they previously knew, something transformative instead of a mere addition to their existing lives.

When I am tempted in my prayers to ask for a simple patch to any frustration or anxiety, I return to this passage to remind myself of the task at hand: stepping back to observe the fabric of who I am and working with God to become the very best version of myself.

I can easily imagine the bewilderment some must have felt when they first heard Jesus use this clothing metaphor (irreverently, I wonder if anybody challenged a carpenter’s son about his textile knowledge). The more I consider it, the more I hear Jesus inviting us to observe our spiritual lives like we inspect tattered garments. Instead of easy patches, let us ask to be woven wholly from God’s grace into something new.