The response: "I don't want to wear it." Insisting, the first brother said:
"You need to look good for God."
I smiled as I overhead their conversation which cast my mind back to the "Appealing or Appalling"* piece and realised God had let me overhear this conversation to take our "discussion" one step further...
"Look good for God" - what a reason and motivation to be appealing in the way we dress!
Now ignoring man for a moment, God does care how we dress and does His part to help us. When Adam and Eve sinned, God himself clothed them - I believe this covering was both physical and spiritual. Gen 3:21 tells us: "The Lord God made clothes from animal skins for the man and his wife and dressed them." (God's Word Translation) The next time God was associated with clothing was when God created the priesthood office. There, He was clear on their dress code and the purpose of their clothes and even said why twice in Exodus 28:
"And you shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother,
for glory and for beauty." (verse 2 -NKJV)
and
"For Aaron’s sons you shall make tunics, and you shall make sashes for them. And you shall make hats for them, for glory and beauty." (verse 40-NKJV)
So putting both phrases together, we all need to
"look good for God for glory and beauty."
The way we dress must first radiate the glory of God and then His beauty** which must first shine from within***. Guess what? This applies to every Christian because we are all priests to God - and that was repeated more than once in different parts of the Bible.****I'm not sure why I do this - sometimes when I buy a new outfit especially if I believe it cost me a bit, I do my best to wear it to church first. Not sure whether I'm doing this as a way of "dedicating" my outfit to God or if it's "since this is nice, I want God to "see" it first" - as if He didn't already see it when I bought it. Or maybe it's a spin-off of my upbringing where we had "church clothes" as distinct from everyday clothes not to mention "bottom-of-the-box" clothes. Thinking about it now - as I type, I guess that explains why when shopping especially for corporate clothes, I subconsciously ask myself: "Can I wear this to church?"
The bottom line, like my son said, is we should all always "look good for God..." in all places.
Sources
*http://sapphire-and-beryl.blogspot.com/2011/11/appealing-or-appalling.html
** Psalm 90:17 - "And let the beauty and delightfulness and favor of the Lord our God be upon us; confirm and establish the work of our hands--yes, the work of our hands, confirm and establish it." (Amplified)
*** 1 Peter 3: 3-5 - "Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God. This is how the holy women of old made themselves beautiful. They trusted God and accepted the authority of their husbands." (NLT)
**** Exodus 19: 5-6 - "Now therefore, if you will obey My voice in truth and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own peculiar possession and treasure from among and above all peoples; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests, a holy nation [consecrated, set apart to the worship of God]. These are the words you shall speak to the Israelites." (Amplified)
1 Peter 2:9 - But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; (NKJV)
Revelation 1:6 - "And formed us into a kingdom (a royal race), priests to His God and Father--to Him be the glory and the power and the majesty and the dominion throughout the ages and forever and ever. Amen (so be it)." (Amplified)
Revelation 5:10 - "Then you made them a Kingdom, Priests for our God, Priest-kings to rule over the earth." (The Message)
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