By Anuoluwapo Aina
“The way you dress is the way you will be addressed.”
This is a common saying and it is worthy of note. But what does it mean to be addressed the way you dress? It means people seeing you the way you see yourself (your identity). This will only happen when certain qualities can be attributed to you. For example, a doctor is easily identified by his ward coat and stethoscope. Engineers, on the other hand, use helmets and pull overs while lawyers wear their black gowns and wigs. The thing is, we all want to be dignified by our way of dressing. In fact, the way you dress would determine the level of respect people accord you.
Your dressing, at a glance, can reveal if you are self-confident or not; it can also show if you are an attention seeker or you don’t even give a damn! It is therefore advisable to wear clothes that suit your body size, not clothes that look good in your friend’s eyes. As a believer, keeping your body sacred tells the world that you respect yourself and can achieve your dream through hard work and perseverance, rather than exposing or flaunting your “body assets.”
When you are well groomed and modestly dressed, you attract the right persons. When you dress immodestly, you send a message that is contrary to your identity as a son or daughter of God. The way we dress demonstrates our understanding of the gospel of Jesus Christ, because modesty is a fundamental attribute of those who carry the Spirit.
Throughout the Bible, there are many verses that admonish us on this issue. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 reminds us that our body is the temple of God and so we should honour Him with it. 1Timothy 2: 9-10 also encourages us to be modest and sensible in our dressing. 1 Peter 3: 1-5 says:
“Don’t try to make yourselves beautiful on the outside, with stylish hair or by wearing gold jewellery or fine clothes. 4 Instead, make yourselves beautiful on the inside, in your hearts, with the enduring quality of a gentle, peaceful spirit. This type of beauty is very precious in God’s eyes. 5 For it was in this way that holy women who trusted in God used to make themselves beautiful, accepting the authority of their own husbands.”
Recommended Posts
As Christians, the dignity we desire should come from obeying God’s commandments to us and not what the world defines as dignity. Come to think of it, we don’t need to look twice to identify a responsible person; their dressing with show it. Imagine the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor E.A. Adeboye in an ungodly attire. Would you actually take his words seriously? The answer is No; most people won’t.
This shows that before we can be taken seriously anywhere, our way of dressing should conform to our beliefs. As much as we edify our Spirits with the Word of God, let’s endeavour to beautify our bodies with quality apparels that agree with the Word of God.
Does this mean every Christian has to dress in a particular way? We don’t have to dress in the same way, but we must bear in mind that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit; therefore we should dress in a way that glorifies God (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). However, in the name of dressing to please God, we should not dress in a boring or drab manner.
Just as we have clothes for different functions, knowing what to wear for every occasion and how to combine them matters a lot. In all, modesty & decency are key. Always dress well in a neat manner. Make use of a body spray or perfume to smell nice and improve the atmosphere around you. Don’t forget: your dressing speaks a lot about you and it includes your haircut or hairdo. Take care of your hair too.
In conclusion, Romans 12:2 gives us a general guide on how we should live; and this includes our dressing:
“Don’t be conformed to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds so that you can figure out what God’s will is—what is good and pleasing and mature.”
This post is a selection from the Wisdom Gate Family Bible Study Series ©2017. If this has blessed you, kindly drop us a comment or send us a mail at info@wigradio.com. You can also listen live to WiGRadio on www.wigradio.com or download the app at www.wigradio.com/apps.
