Rob Witham

We tend to have a real preoccupation with our appearance. Some recent studies report that American’s spend around $1,000 per person on clothing each year. That number does not include all the other categories of personal care that consume our money. Now, I am not arguing that we do not need clothing; however, you don’t need me to cite statistics to know that we spend too much on our appearances.

The American philosopher, Thoreau , wrote this thought about clothing:

“All men want, not something to do with, but something to do, or rather something to be. Perhaps we should never procure a new suit, however ragged or dirty the old, until we have so conducted, so enterprised or sailed in some way, that we feel like new men in the old, and that to retain it would be like keeping new wine in old bottles.”

This is an interesting thought with some spiritual parallels.

“Therefore, don’t be anxious, saying, ‘What will we eat?’, ‘What will we drink?’, ‘With what will we be clothed?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first God’s Kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6.31-33 WEB)

Jesus is not suggesting that we do not need clothing, nor do I think he is suggesting that we never buy clothing. I think the teaching goes to the heart of the matter.

• We usually need far less than we think we do
• Our Father is good and knows what we truly need
• We can trust our Father to provide what we need
• We need not weary ourselves with the accumulation of stuff

The Apostle Paul also weighs in on the clothing and appearance issue in his pastoral letter to Timothy.

“I desire that men in every place pray, lifting up holy hands without anger and doubting. In the same way, that women also adorn themselves in decent clothing, with modesty and propriety; not just with braided hair, gold, pearls, or expensive clothing; but (which becomes women professing godliness) with good works.” (1 Timothy 2.8-10 WEB)

Now, I don’t think Paul is singling out women in this text. Paul is addressing specific problems in a local assembly. Just as women are perfectly capable of anger and doubt, men are perfectly capable of being overly concerned with their appearance. Paul was addressing specific problems in a specific assembly; his comments are directed at the offending groups in that particular assembly. The application is the same regardless of gender.

Allow me to offer a gender-neutral paraphrase:

“I desire that saints in every place pray, lifting up holy hands without anger and doubting. In the same way, that Christians adorn themselves in decent clothing, with modesty and propriety; not just with fancy hair, gold, pearls, or expensive clothing; but (which becomes those of you professing godliness) with good works.”

The emphasis is not on gender. The emphasis is on the heart. God wants all of his saints to pray without anger or doubting. God also is far more concerned with our hearts than with our exterior appearance. We need not wear jewelry or expensive clothing to impress God. God is not impressed. We wear jewelry, fancy hair arrangements, and expensive clothing for one reason only - to impress others around us.

According to the Scriptures, we should be far more concerned with our godliness than with our appearance. Our focus needs to shift from appearance to character, from looks to identity, which becomes those of you professing godliness. This is as it should be if we profess to be children of God and followers of Jesus. According to the Scriptures, people look at the outward appearance but God looks at the heart.

We need something to be more than we need something to wear!