Dresses Only

A young Christian woman who I had just met began to tell me that she made the decision two years ago to only wear dresses.She explained that this is what she felt was God's will for women. She then coldly looked down at the t-shirt and shorts I was wearing on what was a tepid Florida summer afternoon. Since we had just met, the young woman was not yet aware that I was also a Christian, but rather than over-react, I simply thought to myself, "This girl has MUCH to learn." While I appreciated and applauded this young woman's fervor to please the Lord, I began to wonder how many people she might pass this message along to, pushing them farther away from God, rather than bring them closer to Him.

Certainly, we should dress modestly, being examples, and not followers, and not dress to sensually entice or provoke, but I think it is an injustice to equate God with fashion, as if someone has a closer relationship with the Lord simply because they wear a certain garment. If this train of thought was true, I suppose we could say good-bye to our many Christian African brothers and sisters who may dress according to their customs and climate, or women who are third-world missionaries who may travel in to jungle areas wearing safari gear rather than dresses and high heels.

My dear friends, God is more concerned with what rests inside of us, rather than outward appearance. He will not reject you if your hair is dyed brown, or you wear blush and mascara. He is also not following the seasonal hemlines and fashion trends, watching to see if you are wearing sneakers or sandals. He doesn't care if you wear bows in your hair, or purple socks with green dots.

Rather than looking in the mirror and worrying about what you are wearing, the next time you do a beauty check-up, ask yourself, "Do I have a relationship with God? Do I need to break free from a sinful lifestyle? Do I need to treat my fellow man more lovingly?"

First look inward, and the external will follow in due time.

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Contributed by Melanie Schurr (Copyright (c)2003 Melanie Schurr) Melanie Schurr is author of "Ecstatic Living Ecstatic Loving: How to have more peace and joy in marriage, and life in general by walking in harmony with God," and "Son Salutations: A refreshing collection of modern inspirations for those who seek God each day." For more information, visit her web page at www.angelfire.com/mi/melschurr