My mother-in-law (of almost 6 months) has decided that she doesn't like the way I dress for church. I wear blue jeans, boots, and a polo shirt. I don't always shave, but I never look like I just spent 4 months in Siberia. To me, this is dressed up. You see, I'm a blue jeans and t-shirt kind of guy. I almost always have a hat on. So when I put on a polo shirt, and no I don't tuck it in, and "fix" my hair, I consider it dressed up.
Now, am I really in the wrong here? If I am please tell me. All I know is that Jesus hung out with prostitutes, criminals, the sick, and the poor. He didn't care what they looked like. The church should be welcoming of all. There should be no litmus test to sit in a pew.
You see, I dress the way I dress because that is me. I am as anti-trendy/cute/metrosexual as they come when it comes to clothing. When I was little and forced to dress up, I spent all of church counting down the minutes until I could get out of the fancy clothes. Worshiping was an afterthought.
I'm also a big believer that people should be real. There is no need to change who you are in order to get things done. I would venture to bet that a lot of young people don't go to church because the older generation constantly criticizes how they dress, how they play crazy rock music at church instead of hymns, and various other generational and cultural differences.
I don't think these differences matter. Personally, I believe that God wants us to worship, not look like we should be on the cover of Vogue or sing every verse of exactly 5 hymns.
Am I wrong? Am I missing something? Does the Bible tell us the proper way to worship?
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I'm with you Michael. I honestly don't believe that it bothers God how we dress (as long as we do!) :) We should dress so as not to draw attention to ourselves. Dress casual if that is what makes you comfortable. I would be interested in knowing your wife's take on this or has she chosen to stay out of it? She may need to say, "Enough mom. Least he is going." my .02 worth.
ReplyDeleteMy wife told her mom that that isn't a battle she wants to fight. I think she agrees with her mom to an extent, but respects the fact that we both come from different backgrounds. She knows that I don't conform well to these type of things. I have to correct her all the time that guys don't have "tops" or "outfits". We have shirts and clothes. She laughs and seems to have accepted this peculiarity of mine.
ReplyDeleteOf course, considering that we go to the college service, I am dressed much better than some of them who roll out of bed 5 mins. before church. ;)
Love it, bro. Boots rock.
ReplyDeleteI really encourage my pastor to not wear ties. He feels more pressure than he admits.