Daily Devotional for Sunday January 13, 2002

What we Wear

(Matthew 6:28; 1 Timothy 2:9; 1 Peter 3:3)

Even though this Devotional today is primarily geared towards women, it is also very applicable for men as well. How to dress has been a matter of some contention in the church from the beginning. There are schools of thought that range from a very conservative and exact dress code, all the way to the most casual attire. Of course, as in all things, we must examine what the Word of God says about this issue. Most who teach a very conservative and exact dress code are doing so by taking some of what the Bible says literally. Many of the passages in the New Testament dealing directly with the culture of that day, however, clearly taught two main points. First, a woman should dress not to bring attention to herself. Second, it is not what we wear on the outside that makes us beautiful, but who we are in Christ on the inside.

The best advice I can give you on how to dress, not only for church but in public, is this. There is nothing wrong with having nice clothes. There is nothing wrong with jewelry. The line gets drawn at your motivation. Do you wear jewelry to show off or impress people, or do you wear jewelry because you enjoy it? Is your motives what to wear to look nice, to look presentable, or is it to make sure people notice you? The big question is always about the length of skirts and what type of tops to wear. Again, there is nothing wrong with looking good. But when you dress, is part of your motivation for men to look at you because of what you are wearing? The Bible speaks clearly about being a stepping-stone or stumbling block. Most men, the vast majority, struggle with lust. Is what you are wearing going to cause men to lust over you? Now trust me, I know that there are men who are so bad they will lust over you no matter what you wear, but you know what I mean. I have stood in the pulpits of many churches and seen women in attendance who were dressed like they were at a nightclub. You are sending the wrong signal and being a stumbling block when you purposely dress provocatively. The best rule is if you have to question whether it is too revealing, chances are very good, it is.

The whole issue of dressing to impress, or to be noticed by other people, becomes a moot point when you are confident who you are in Christ. As a child of God, your eternal home is waiting you. You have surrendered your life to your Creator, and your purpose each day is to serve and glorify Him with your life. It takes the pressure off of having to be judged by the world's standards. What the world thinks and what others think becomes secondary to what God thinks. He is the only one we HAVE to please. As long as we worry about pleasing the Lord first, and others second, many things we wear lose much of their importance other than as a function of living this life while we are here.

Men have had to deal with this issue as well, although it has not been as pronounced as for women. However, in the last 10 years, with men's fashions being much more publicized, many more men are falling into the same trap some women do. Guys, look good, but if you are dressing simply to impress someone or you wear clothing you know is meant simply to draw attention to yourself, you are off base. Be secure in who you are in Christ. Recognize clothing for what it is. It is nothing more than what we must have to function on a day-to-day basis during this journey. That saying "clothes make the man" is absolutely wrong. God makes the man; clothes are just what we wear to serve God.

I love you and care about you very much. I realize that this is actually a very hotly contested and debated issue in some circles. It does not have to be. If you belong to a church that won't allow you to wear pants or other types of clothing, and you are not comfortable, then pray and see how important that one issue is to being part of that church. In many cases, women wear clothing that many may deem as inappropriate out of ignorance. They simply don't know any better, which is why the older women of the church need to take the younger women aside and educate them.

I will pray for you today to realize above all, that you are an ambassador of the Lord Jesus Christ at all times. It is a 24/7/365 job. As His ambassador, the best test of all when you dress to go somewhere is this. If Jesus came back and met you in 10 minutes, would I be embarrassed by what you were wearing? Again, if you have to question whether it is appropriate, it probably isn't. What you wear should be done with the goal to look nice, not draw attention to yourself. Mostly though, know the Lord loves you and thinks you are beautiful because of who you are inside. Be secure in that love and realize your real beauty is who you are on the inside, not what you are wearing.