The need to be careful 130708
I did not want to discuss this topic because several other people have covered it before but I feel responsible to say a word or two on the same. The issue is on dressing. Let me limit this to those who are going to church. One Sunday in town I saw a well dressed young lady. The attention she was drawing to herself made me check her out. I realised that the attention was not necessarily on her dressing because people dress like that every day but it was the Bible that she was holding that made people wonder if she was really going to church.
There was something definitely wrong with the way she was dressed. Everyone would just shake their head and continue with their business. That made me think for a while and I resolved once and for al that I was going to say something about this issue regardless of its controversial nature. I know this has potential to get my inbox full with mail. That part is welcome too and is always part of the job but for a while, hear what I have to say.
Let us make one thing clear from the beginning; God is not disturbed by your dressing on a Sunday morning in church. You could literally come naked and He would enjoy your worship like He does when you are dressed like a Moslem woman. That does not affect Him in any way. In fact he enjoys your singing when you are in the bath every morning; naked. Remember that in the Garden of Eden when God used to come and fellowship with Adam and Eve they were not dressed in any way. He would look forward to coming and enjoying this time of fellowship. Case closed! God is not affected in any way by the way you are dressed.
If God is not affected, then why do men make a fuss about the way people dress in church to such an extent that some pastors make it the subject of their Sunday’s preaching? There is probably something in the whole dressing issue that people refuse to address squarely. Dressing can be classified as a right by others. You put on something that you want to put on and when you feel like it. I may choose to listen to that argument and go on to respect it to a limited extent, at least when you are going to the movie house.
Now that you are the one responsible for choosing your wardrobe when you go wherever you want, it is important to realise that there are other areas where you can get away with murder and others where you will be brought to book. Now that we are talking about dressing for church, it is unavoidable to quote from the Bible to hear what the one who owns the place has to say about the issue at hand. Let us start in the book of Proverbs.
“For at the window of my house I have looked out through my lattice, and I have seen among the simple, I have perceived among the youths, a young man lacking sense, passing along the street near her corner, taking the road to her house in the twilight, in the evening, at the time of night and darkness. And behold, the woman meets him, dressed as a prostitute, wily of heart.” (Pro 7:6-10) (Italics mine).
The italisised words tell me that there are different dress codes for different professions. It is therefore important to realise that you may use your freedom of expression in dressing to dress like a prostitute sometimes without realizing it. We agree that when a prostitute comes to church on Sunday morning it is not ours to chase her from church because Jesus emphasized that He came for the lost like these. It is a different story, however, when someone who claims to be a Christian dresses like a prostitute to church. The danger is that the one who called you expects a higher standard from you and defaming His Name with your dressing is a serious offence.
The question that comes to mind first is why do you want to be dressed like a harlot when going to church? Those that operate from Parirenyatwa Street in the night dress like that because their bodies are available. It is the same way a vendor displays some tomatoes on the stalls. (No offence intended). Since we take it for granted that the Christian’s body is not available why is it being advertised as such? Unless we are mistaken by assuming that the Christian should not be associated with adultery and fornication.
Now let’s see what effects you have on an average Sunday when you put on something indecent to church and sit in the front pew. You love the Lord so much that during praise and worship you can’t help but raise your hands. That of course raises your belt thin skirt farther up and showing what should not be visible in public. While you are in great fellowship with your Lord every man behind you will not worship God during that service. I hope you do not come from home to go to church planning to hinder some brother from meeting his Maker because they are lusting after your exposed body. If you did not know, that is exactly what you do once you leave the house improperly dressed, not only to church. The danger with the church case is that there is a serious warning to those who causes others to sin.
"Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his(/her) neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. "Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes!” (Mat 18:5-7) (Emphasis mine)
These verses give a strong warning to those who choose to abuse their freedom to harm others. It is probably only in church where we can be sure this law will apply. All the same it is safe to consider your dressing every time you leave the house.
Realise that we are not against people being fashionable. Putting on something that is in fashion is encouraged but make sure that it does not cause others to miss the same Lord you are enjoying. If it wasn’t for this issue, no one would mind seeing you in your most brilliant attire, but the Lord of the house sets the rules in the house.
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