Undressing The Dress Code

Summer is fast approaching so I would like to take a moment to make a public service announcement: let your inner-child out. Confused? A quick flashback will help explain.

I remember growing up in a small town where the women wore clothes that if judged by today's standards, they would look like nuns. Shirts didn't show a lot of cleavage and skirts were long enough to meet the tip of a lady's finger. For the record, I grew up in the hip-hop generation so don't think I'm an old man...although I'm no stranger to gray hair. 

Nowadays when you go to the beach, bras and thongs pass for bathing suits. I guess "don't show what they can't touch" has been long forgotten. I'm afraid 1Timothy 2:9 has also been forgotten. 

"...women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control..."

Ladies, I know you want to look good whether you are married or not. I know that no one can tell you how to dress...but why do it at the expense of tempting others to sin?

"...make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister" (Romans 14:13 NIV).

You may not realize it but the way you dress can cause others to stumble. If you are revealing half of your chest, you are going to have guys looking at you in an inappropriate way. If your pants are sculpted to your backside, guys are going to look at you inappropriately. I'm not asking you to dress like an old lady but can we at least agree spandex pants need a little covering? Guys are just as guilty...jeans sagging off our butts and t-shirts way too tight. 

How much of your wardrobe is appropriate to wear to church? Jesus gave us a warning about our attitude towards one another when he said "...unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 18:3 NIV). You wouldn't dress a child inappropriately so maybe the verse can help guide us with more than our mindset. It should also guide us with our dress code.

Think about it.

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