1: to enhance the appearance of especially with beautiful objects
2: to enliven or decorate as if with ornaments <people of fashion who adorned the Court>
see: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adorned?show=0&t=1285692419
To me, the idea of enhancing my appearance with a beautiful object doesn't seem to be an evil or immoral concept. I've observed, in my short time here on earth, that many in my church have made this into a moral issue and in so doing have done themselves and those they judge a huge disservice. When I say "my church" I'm speaking of my denomination as a whole and not a particular congregation. I'm not trying to bash my church, rather speak on something that has convicted me personally.
Traditionally, my church has had a negative view of adornment and in most cases this refers to wearing jewelery and excessive makeup. As I have thought about this the following questions came to mind...
Why is there such a strong prohibition in regards to jewelery and makeup?
What is the purpose of shunning outward adornment?
Is there a way to quantify or measure how much adornment is too much?
Is adornment limited to clothing and accessories?
What is the difference between various materials of adornment (i.e., silver, gold, silk, cotton, plastic)?
Is the absolute cost important or is it the cost relative to the income of the individual?
Is it OK to wear a $2000 suit but NOT OK to wear a $50 ring?
Can the person who goes to the gym everyday and lives on protein shakes in order to have the "perfect" body guilty of "adornment?"
Should we dress like Quakers? Is that the best way to avoid "adornment"?
As I sat in deep ponderation, something occurred to me. Or more likely, something was revealed to me.
This whole issue of adornment is a heart issue. It's not about WHAT we wear but WHY we wear it. As Christians we are called to a life that is meek and humble. We are to draw attention to God and not to ourselves. So I see adornment as an attitude. It's a way of life that says...HEY LOOK AT ME!
I am chiefest among the guilty! Do I REALLY need to drive a Chrysler Crossfire? When I honestly searched my motives I really only got it for attention. LOOK AT ME! I HAVE A NEW JOB AND I'M SUCCESSFUL!
Then there is the way I dress...or more accurately...used to dress for work. Should I really be KNOWN for how I dress at work? Is a 3-piece suit REALLY necessary? Recently, my office switched to business-casual dress. I was able to use this opportunity to tone down the wardrobe. People still come up to me and tell me they miss the suits and ties. Much better to be known for a joyful attitude than nice clothes.
Am I saying that dressing nice or driving a nice car is wrong? NO! But MY reasons were wrong and therein lies the problem. This brings me to my closing point.
Only two people will ever REALLY know WHY I do what I do--ME and GOD. If that is the case, who are we to tell someone what they should or shouldn't wear. Whether that be a ring, necklace, scarf, tie, cuff-link or broach, it's not our business. We can never know their heart condition. Our job is to model meekness and humility by dealing with the plank in our own eye. God is working on them whether YOU see it or not. Let's live with the right attitude and leave the judgment to God.
But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things human beings look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.
1 Samuel 16:7 (Today's New International Version)
I definitely agree! I have noticed that many people(more specifically, young adults) are turned off by the Adventist church, simply because they feel that Adventists judge too much. I have found this to be true in several different cases, all the way from the type of music we should listen to the clothes we should wear. We are ALL sinners, which means that we have no room to judge. But as you stated, God doesn't dwell on outward appearance, He looks at the heart. I think we will be surprised to see some of the people that make it to heaven, Michael Jackson may be there, who knows? Just a thought...
ReplyDeleteThanks Debbie. In addition to not judging I think it's important for us to really examine ourselves and our own motives for doing things. It was a long time before I even realized why I was doing what I was doing.
ReplyDelete...and Michael Jackson? I guess we'll see. There will be plenty of trees for him to climb! HAHAHA!
Great topic here Christian! For me what comes to mind is the issue of dress for church. Now I grew up in the Catholic church and was taught to dress well each Sunday, and even snazzier for holiday's (i.e. Easter Sunday outfit). Over the years, I had been exposed to Baptist Church's here and there and saw the same fashion sense. And at one point I was exposed to a couple non-denominational churches. But I noticed something different with the non-denominational churches. The people were dressed casual or in street clothes. And I thought hmm, how come they are dressed down? They look so comfortable, and so free...free to be who they are. There was no fashion show or no one flyer than the next man or woman. These guys are doing something different and it seems more real. What do they know that I don't know?
ReplyDeleteSince coming into the Adventist church, I have found that the fashion sense is the same as it was when growing up, but I recognize more scrutiny towards dress if you don't look a certain way, or if you do look a certain way. Now I'm not taking any shots at the Adventist church. I'm just much more observant now as a Christian than I ever was. Maybe there was scrutiny in the Catholic or Baptist church and I just didn't see it. Maybe there is now? Well, whatever to that. As I type this entry I'm thinking, when did it all start? This whole, "give your best to God" mentality...? Why did we think we had to dress in fine suits and dresses for church attendance? And did those folk honestly think that God can't see through fine linens or cotton? And what about us today? When does the buck stop? For many of us, the "dress code" never started. And trust me, I'm not calling myself a victim. Truthfully, I'm a part of the problem. I just think it sucks that each generation misses God's truth, or His points in so many ways. 1 Samuel 16:7...great text! Praise God! It's a shame that so many of us are more concerned with appearance WAY more than God. And if God can accept us where we are, and He does, then we can sho' nuff do the same for each other. And so I agree with you Christian. We need to leave the judgment to the LORD.
Do clothes make the man? No. God MAKES the man. And one day the whole world will know that He MADE man, and woman. "...Male and female created He them"(Gen. 1:27).
I agree with you Rob. I've got more to say on church attire but I'll save it for a future Ponderation...It may even be part of a Ponderation series. Keep a lookout because there is plenty more to come!
ReplyDeleteOk sounds good!
ReplyDeleteI read somewhere that man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart. I'm going to try to be more like the Lord, and less like "man" on this one. I've put "monitoring another's adornment" up on the shelf as a ridiculous, legalistic distraction from a personal, life-changing relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I've seen the enforcement of it completely chase young people out of the church and away from Christ. When this is done... our Savior is sad.
ReplyDelete