Sunday Style
by Guest Writer E Sakajja
I read th
e article on guarding the treasures we were given and felt compelled to share these simple tricks that can help women decide if what they’re wearing is a blessing or a distraction to others. I know that for most of us, all it takes is one look at the mirror and a “No” from God and we rush to change. I am a worship leader and every Sunday, I do the following exercises to make sure that I am not going to be drawing attention to myself or away from God.
What you’ll need: a full length mirror, and you, dressed in your Sunday outfit.
There are things that we may not even need to talk about. Tight trousers, panty lines and the like are not even worth mentioning because we are supposed to know about these. However, there are more-subtle things that we may not notice until it’s too late. So here’s a few simple steps.
Step one: Hands raised, let’s praise. Lift your hands up as high as you can and see what shows. Armpits, whether hairy or not, are a distraction especially, but not only, if you are standing in front of the church. If your belly is showing, this is a no-no. If you fail any of the HRLP tests, look for a new top and save that one for the days when you’re home alone.
Step two: Bouncy
. Depending on the church you go to, sometimes, the praise gets intense and we begin to jump and run and all that. So try it out in front of the mirror. Jump up and down a couple of times. Walk back and forth. Is anything (specifically, your chest or your “booty”) bouncing and jiggling around too much? Then it’s time to change, sweetie.
Step three: See my knees. I know times have changed, but generally anything above your knees is pretty indecent. If, while standing or sitting, your knees and/or thighs are exposed, change the skirt or dress.
Step four: Crack attack. The first crack is the one under your chin and above your belly button. Sit up, then bend. Can anyone see your cleavage? They don’t need to – please change your top if you can see any crack in it when you look in the mirror. Next: Get a bare-backed chair and sit on it with your back to the mirror. Turn around. Is your back showing? Is the “crack” on your behind showing? Nobody needs to see this. Anyone sitting behind you will be subjected to this torture and that would not be nice.
Step five: Painted saint: Let the make-up be presentable. I don’t know why too much make-up is always associated with Jezebel, but all I can say is I understand! It’s a little scary to see a dark-skinned African woman with scarlet lips, blue eyelids, and overdone pink cheeks. If that’s your preference, try to at least do it in a way that’s considerate to others. Long and overdone nails can be distracting as well, especially if you are a person who gestures a lot.
This test is really not just for Sundays. Christianity is a lifestyle. If you wouldn’t do it on Sunday, don’t do it Monday through Saturday either. Worship is an everyday thing!
Enjoy your month and happy summer.
*Photo credits: inmagine.com
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Thanks for the tips, and for the reminder that we are to live for others, and not ourselves (Romans 15:2)! God bless you all at Yakuti!
I’m not protesting against the five steps above but step 3 being nothing above the knee, does this mean that wearing shorts is seen as inapproapriate clothing? Yes I agree worship is not limited to 2 hours spent in a building on Sunday but is 24/7, 365 days a year and whilst I agree that “there is a time and a PLACE” for such dressing, I don’t see how wearing a vest that shows the armpits or wearing a pair of shorts (e.g, in hot weather) is wrong. Of course I wouldn’t walk into church in such clothing but for the mere fact that it was said that if we wouldn’t do it on Sunday, it shouldn’t be done Monday through to Saturday, I thought I’ll mention it and I would appreciate if someone could clarify this.
We are told not to be stumbling blocks and one of the ways in which we can be a stumbling block is with our clothing. However Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law. We’re not told to wear brown sacks. You get some christians who believe its wrong to show their feet and necks!
“Everything is permissible”—but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible”—but not everything is constructive. Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others…..” (1 Corinthians 10:23-31)
I would like to request for a further article to be posted on this topic or as I asked above o please have someone clarify the wearing of shorts or a “summers dress” Monday through to Saturday and opting for something a little more conserative on Sunday when worship is supposingly everyday of the week.
Niki, the first thing we need to realize is that while this is a big deal, it’s really not a big deal. Does that make sense? Christianity is simple. I’m not going to tell you that wearing shorts is right or wrong – there are different kinds, lengths, fits/tightnesses of shorts. You have the Bible and the Holy Spirit to guide you. What I will say, and leave to your discretion, is that the privilege of viewing certain parts of a woman’s body is one that is reserved for ONE man, and that is her husband.
Try this very simple trick: every day before you walk out of your house, look at yourself in a full-length mirror and ask the Lord what He thinks of your outfit.
John 10:27, Galatians 5:1, James 1:5, James 4:4, 1 Peter 3:4, 1 John 2:15, Matthew 7:20, Colossians 3:2, Romans 12:2, 1 Peter 3:3-4, Proverbs 31:22, John 15:19, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, Romans 14… on and on and on – your answers are in the Word of God.
A Quote I found:
“Though it may sound strange to say, the Bible does not give an
inflexible or uniform clothing code. It does not specify any
certain color – people in the Bible wore clothing of different
colors. As to style, various robe-type garments were worn, but no
certain style of clothing is commanded. As to material,
originally God made “coats of skins” to cloth Adam and Eve, but
this did not mean all people from then on must wear only leather!
Garments made from different materials are mentioned in the
Bible.
We are told, however, that women should “adorn themselves in
modest apparel”(1 Tim.2:9). What, then, is modest apparel? Does
this mean, as some have taught, that a woman cannot wear short
sleeves? How long must a woman’s skirt be? Where does
modesty begin or end? One inch below the knee or an inch above?
Some churches make rules about the length of a woman’s skirt. One
church set a certain number of inches above the floor as a
maximum. It didn’t seem to matter that some women were shorter,
some taller than others! All skirts had to come within the given
number of inches from the floor!……….
As to sleeves, some believe a woman must always wear long sleeves
so that her elbows are covered. But are exposed elbows really so
erotically stimulating that men might be tempted to lust?…….I
have wondered why those who insist that knees and elbows must
be covered at all times do not require a face covering also.
After all, would not a pretty face be more attractive than a pair
of knees or elbows? Do not misunderstand. I believe in standards
of decency. But when big issues are made about non-essential
points, people are driven to a legalism that hinders an effective
Christian testimony. I am opposed to the extremism.
Ideas about “modesty” have varied greatly in different countries.
In old China, exposure of the upper-class women’s tiny feet was
regarded as most indecent. They were considered the most sexually
stimulating parts of the body. Virgin goddesses were sometimes
portrayed with shoes, even when otherwise stark naked. In early
Japan, a woman’s eyebrows were considered as among her greatest
charms. Some husbands would shave their brides’ eyebrows off in
an attempt to make them unattractive to other men……..In
Mohammedan countries where women must cover their faces with
veils, a woman’s first reaction might be to cover her face,
rather than her body, if suddenly surprised while
unclothed……..What might be proper or practical clothing in
Hawaii, would be impractical and out of place in Alaska. What one
might wear to work in the yard would not generally be what he
would wear to church. What one might wear to swim in would
not be practical for shopping, etc………I spoke once to a
group that felt all their women should dress the way women did in
about 1900, fix their hair by styles of that time, etc……By so
doing this, they were actually drawing more attention to the
“outward man” than if they wore clothing similar to other women
of the time. By dressing in clothes radically different than
others, they defeated the very thing they supposed they were
accomplishing. Even plain or out of date clothes can be worn with
vanity – the very drabness or difference draws attention to the
outward person, not the inner man.
How strict must we be? Must we lock ourselves away in total
silence – lest we speak a wrong word? There have been monks who
have gone for years without uttering a word.
Did this make them more holy? ……..Some in an attempt to be
holy even castrated themselves, one notable example being
Origen…….Even in our time, some become so strict they are
driven to foolish extremes. The Bible is against making an idol
or image to bow down to it(Exodus 20:4,5). but some, completely
mis-applying this verse, will not allow their children to have a
doll or stuffed toy……Some will not allow their picture taken.
I know people who have destroyed all of their photographs…..One
sect considers the mirror an invention of the devil. A person
looking into it makes an image…….One woman was against soda
pop because the Bible says not to use strong drink! There have
been people who would not eat potatoes, because the word
“potatoes” does not appear in the Bible! And in ways that are
sometimes just as inconsistent, men have made a series of
“don’ts” for women. Don’t wear lipstick. Don’t wear short
sleeves. Don’t cut your hair. Don’t wear slacks. Don’t wear
jewelry………
Where, then, do we draw the line? On what basis should standards
be measured? I can only say that as Christians we should turn our
eyes upon Jesus…….
Considering the relative nature of modesty, seeing the
inconsistency to which strict over- emphasis on the
non-essentials points has led, and weighing all of this in the
light of the total spirit and example of Jesus, I think that
certain conclusions are apparent. The wisdom of a balanced view
seems clear. We should avoid the extremes, seeking rather
the CENTER of God’s will. We need not wear rags to be holy, nor
do we need to have the most expensive clothes money can buy. It
is possible for a person through the use of make-up, jewelry, or
some forms of clothing to appear too flashy. But the other
extreme, a dull and drab appearance, is not a requirement for the
victorious Christian.
Clothes can be worn too tight – and draw attention. By the same
token, the continual wearing of baggy clothes can also be made a
display. The balanced Christian view – of all of the things that
we have mentioned in this book – seems clearly to be that we
should dress according to the custom of our time and country -
with a sense of decency and wisdom.
Let us take a stand for the high standards of the gospel, let us
stand firm for honesty, fairness, kindness, integrity, and love;
let us practice holiness, but let it be “true holiness” from the
heart, not a false holiness as that of the Pharisees. Let us
never confuse the overall objectives of Christianity with petty
points of men’s traditions, remembering that “the kingdom of God
is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in
the holy Ghost” (Romans 14:17).
In essentials, then, let there be unity; in non-essentials,
liberty; and in all things, charity.”
@ Niki one question. Why wont you wear it to church? If you will wear it Monday to Sat, wear it Sun too, why not? That’s where your answer lies in my opinion. The arguement of ‘we have christians who believe its wrong to show their feet and necks’ is the same kind like those people who ask, ‘will the people who lived in a bush in Africa 3000 years ago, who never knew Jesus, go to heaven?’ God wont ask you about other people he will ask about you,
Its not about other people.
@ Fifi for the same reason I wouldn’t wear a ball-grown to the supermarket