Summer is here, time to dig out the shorts and Birkenstocks!!! While it is nice to be able to kick back and enjoy the beautiful warm weather (or you can struggle with the hammock like Caleb), I often warn the my fellow brothers that this is also the season of short skirts and short shorts - worn by girls, but being in Toronto I'm not surprised if I see it worn by guys, too. 
And like clockwork, during this season every year someone from my congregation will come up to me and ask if I can address the issue with the length of the skirts or shorts at church. Yes, the whole discussion of "Do not cause your brother to stumble" arises:"But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak."
~1 Cor 8:9
But this responsibility should not rest solely on our sisters. I could say to all the sisters, DO NOT wear such and such to church. i.e. 1 Tim 2:9-10
I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.
However, the context of the above verses speaks more about stewardship than actually about "modesty" in term of how short is short. It deals more with for example, spending beyond your means just to have the latest Canada Goose jacket or LV purse. Rather Paul reminds us to be good steward of our resources to further God's kingdom. This applies to men, too.
Back to the short shorts, if I only called out all the sisters, am I any different Muslims demanding their sisters to wear hijab? Also if our church were to be welcoming to everyone, why are we judging those at church by what they wear. Jesus had set an example for us when he welcomed prostitutes and tax collectors. Men, can we learn to look pass what someone is wearing and see that each sister is not just an object of your desire but as someone who is a beautiful creation of God - someone who God created for a purpose. When we begin to look at someone who is wonderfully and fearfully created for God's purpose, we will not cease to see and treat another human being as an object.
Some may say to me, "Pastor Joel, it is easy for you to say because you are married." No, it is NOT easier after marriage, because of it is there will be no affairs and broken marriages.
All in all, both brothers and sisters have our lessons to learn. Brothers, stand up for the daughters of God, defend them and treat them with respect. Sisters, until we brothers are righteous men of God, show us some grace and help us, in this case by the way your dress, and encourage us to become godly men.
No comments:
Post a Comment