For Lord’s Day, February 5, 2012
Dear Saints,
I remember back in high school, one of my wrestling buddies challenged a cheer leader not to wear make-up to school for just one day, and if she did, he’d pay her $50. She wore a lot of make up, which we all thought was so unnecessary, so he tried to encourage her to experience that she didn’t need it. She refused to take the offer. That was surprising to us. Seemed like such a simple thing to do. And $50 is $50, especially for someone in high school. Obviously, she had self-image issues. It was too bad because the amount of make-up she wore really didn’t represent who we knew she was on the inside. But it definitely did misrepresent her.
This relates to the morning sermon last Lord’s Day on Gen. 24:64-65: Don’t hide your inner beauty. An important way of opening up on the inside is to not trust the way the world portrays beauty on the outside. And not to mimic it.
I recently read this in my NT devotions:… I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil. (Rom 16:19)
Beloved, may you have lots of experience and knowledge in things that are good, including presenting yourselves in Christian modesty. That is God’s wisdom. And may you be unfamiliar with worldly things. May you be considered a prudish simpleton for not knowing much about the latest and greatest this and that or him and her. Because you are too busy setting your affections on heavenly things and God’s people. On Christ the Lord and the advancement of His eternal Kingdom through a world that is passing away before our eyes. No one will be dressing in heaven like the world dresses itself.
Remember what we considered in family visitations in 1 Tim. 4:8. The only things you can take with you after you die are the spiritual things of God that you exercise yourself with. The kind of Spiritual fruit that results from such holy effort does not spoil before your death, nor before the Resurrection. Everything else either withers or rots or will be burned off.
Be wise unto that which is good so that you do not bring shame on the outside and end up hiding your inner beauty. Let the light of Christ shine through you. Let it shine by how you present yourself on the outside. Let it shine by what you do to develop your self on the inside, seeing your Christian beauty for all that it is – and all that it can flower into before the watching world and fellow Christians looking for godly models to follow. Like Isaac and Rebekah.
- Modest Apparel, Various Authors (Chapel Library Periodical Issue)
- Christian Modesty: The Public Undressing of America, Jeff Pollard
Semper Reformanda,
Pastor Grant
Categories: Sanctification - Growing in Grace