Dressing up for Prom and dressing down for Worship Part 1
June 18, 2014 by Elder/Minister DeBorrah K. Ogans
Filed under Featured Articles, For The Youth
Dressing up for Prom and dressing down for Worship! 
Part 1
This 21st century is becoming progressively more interesting in a very bizarre manner. We are living in a time when just about anything goes! We can go almost anywhere and expect to see some of everything. You can see multiple piercings on the ears, lips, forehead, eyebrows, cheeks, neck, and head or just about anywhere on the body. Let’s not even discuss the places that we don’t see.
Oh my! It makes you wonder why so many want to inflict themselves with so much pain…
Glitter and glam
You can see glitter glam clothes or faces. Pink, royal blue, purple, burgundy, yellow and even green bold hair colors on both male and females. It has become acceptable for many to even walk around with their pants sagging below the buttocks! You can go to the shopping mall and see many clad in pajamas and slippers and guess what they are just out shopping; so what does it matter? Let’s not forget the jeans with holes in them. Yes, there are those today who actually buy torn clothing? The old shorter than short “Daisy Duke” jean shorts are even trying to make their way to the forefront. WOW!
I know everyone wants to be comfortable or they just want to as the ole song says “Express Yourself!” So it has become socially tolerable to just dress down whenever or wherever. After all we are not hurting anyone.
But what does this all say? No matter why our youth are so confused. Too many mixed conflicting messages.
Think about this for a moment or two!
Who gets the right to determine what is right? If so what are the guidelines?
Your most important occasion
What is the most important event or occasion that you will attend? Is it a wedding, red carpet affair, birthday party, concert, going to the opera or symphony, funeral, job interview or perhaps a prom? How do you dress for the occasion? If it is a wedding, you probably want to wear your best? Or maybe not? Why is that; because it has become acceptable to dress just any kind of way; right?
Well, what about going to worship? You should just “come as you are.” If you have not been a part of God’s Church it is understandable. But if you have been a part of the Church for a while you might want to ask yourself; to whom or where do you present your best other than at worship?
This is not about being material? Or is it?
GOD’S CHURCH is the BRIDE of CHRIST
Did you know that the Church is the Bride of Christ? We the people are His Church. The Church has begun to blend right in with the world.
It is becoming harder and harder to distinguish the difference unless it is a special occasion. But should not every time we come together for worship be a special occasion?
It’s okay if you wear a suit and tie or business casual pantsuit, dress or blouse and slacks to the office if you are a manager or a CEO or CIO! But if I want to wear flip flops and cut offs it should not matter especially since I still get my work done. I just want to be comfortable and I don’t want to wait until casual Friday. What happened to the basic dress code? It really does matter how you present yourself!
Hmm I guess God is not interested in how we dress? “Therefore, I urge you, brothers/sisters in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…” Romans 12. What does this have to do with how I am dressed? A lot!
It’s clear here that we are not supposed to conform to the ways of the world. Notice how The Church has begun to pattern its dress after the standards of the world. This has even filtered over into going to worship. I guess we should really just want to hang out and sip a cup of coffee, pass the popcorn, eat doughnuts and be comfortable here too? I hope you are getting my point?
Perhaps this is why so many more are comfortable in sinful lifestyles. God is Love! A part of love is correction. Therefore, we need to have more compassion right? Compassion for Christ Jesus who gave His life for us should be expressed as well as for others. What is so interesting during our many travel journeys we have been in countries where they would not let certain people even enter into the Sanctuary if you did not have on proper attire. There was an attendant at the door to determine if you were presentable. It was not personal, their compassion was because of their respect for the Lord. They simply had a standard they wanted to uphold.
There is nothing wrong with freedom of expression. But what is proper and improper and who determines when or where? Does it matter that I go to worship looking like I’m on my way to the beach? Or if I look like I just woke up and threw on my most comfortable outfit? Or perhaps I was going to mow the lawn and decided to come to worship first. Or just perhaps I am going bowling after service and don’t want to make a change? Or perhaps I want to dress like I am going to a dance recital and wear a tutu? If you are a child maybe this is okay?
Dressing to go to worship
But it’s okay to wear a suit and tie or robe sometimes if you are a pastor, minister, priest, bishop, elder or part of the praise team. Well maybe not because since its “March Madness” everyone can just come in their football jerseys or tee-shirts representing their favorite team. Have you thought that this borders on idol worship. By the way ladies it’s okay to just pull on a pair of leggings because the jerseys are as long as some of the dresses and tops you wear? It does not really matter how tight your dress is if you are small, medium, large or extra large, or extra extra large… I know you are exercising your freedom but what message are you sending? Oh my! I have just stepped on some toes? Let’s not forget about the messages you wear printed across your chest. What’s wrong with wearing jerseys or tee-shirts?
What’s wrong with wearing your best?
Hmmm tell me when did going to worship have anything to do with your favorite football or basketball team? Today for some it is quite relevant. I am all for team JESUS!!! But do not penalize me because I do not wear jerseys or T-shirts. Hmmm watch what happens if I show up in casual dress when everyone else is dressed up for a special occasion or program? Let’s see who is now exercising; “form and fashion?” Be prepared to get frowns from; the what you should be wearing today committee. Well, I’m not looking for your approval. Nor am I looking to be seen. Think about the “Virtuous Woman” in Proverbs 31. Therefore, I am going to be led by the Spirit and dress depending on what season it is and what’s the weather like. Or dress how I deem is appropriate for the occasion. I know I am just too ole fashion or just plain judgmental? Maybe so! But remember you make a judgment when you say someone is; judgmental!
The point is you need to be aware of who or what you are following and why?
Worship is supposed to be about GOD! Worship is supposed to be about us being thankful and grateful that CHRIST JESUS died on the cross for us! He overcame sin in the flesh, lived a sinless life, was crucified, died, was then buried in a tomb and arose from the dead with all power and authority! He went through all of that for us. He overcame everything for us! What an awesome miracle of all Miracles! We are to give HIM the HONOR, GLORY & PRAISE! What is so casual about that?
It’s okay to pray at the altar and ask for healing, restoration and or some of your physical, emotional, mental or material needs. But before you go to pray for someone don’t snicker and talk all throughout worship and laugh and look me up and down and think I am going to take you seriously… But the moment altar call happens you flip the script. You now become a prayer warrior, missionary… This is not a game, nor is it a role to play. Its okay to sit in your seat or to kneel, stand, or lay prone flat on your face and pray if you prefer. It is also okay to shout, scream, laugh with joy and thankfulness, run around or do whatever? But do be decent and in order. Please make sure you are sincere. “God is not the Author of confusion.”
Worship is not “Showtime!” What’s so interesting a young lad visiting sat up front next to us one Sunday and he actually asked? “When does the show start?
“GOD is not the Author of Confusion”
The point is the Lord always deserves our respect. We are to give Him honor. Not just say we give Him honor. It is the posture of our hearts that GOD is looking at… GOD can and will supply in HIS time whatever is in HIS Will for us. But prayer and worship really should not be about always asking God for something all the time. Nor about always asking the people to give money to GOD? When you leave you should know more about the Lord and His Word than the people. Worship should be more about GOD and us thanking HIM for allowing us to live on HIS earth and… Worship is actually devotional time set aside to praise and adore the Lord; for all that He has done, is doing and will do! God deserves the PREEMINENCE!
Now how should we present ourselves? Look to the Lord and let Him direct you and not to the masses. I know we ought to be comfortable. We want to make everyone else comfortable too. We don’t want anyone to feel like they are being judged or unworthy, or that we are looking down on them? The truth is we all are unworthy. The truth is when you are truly looking up to God you won’t feel like you are being looked down upon.
Christ Jesus gave His best which was His holy sanctified sinless life! HE is the KING of King and the LORD of Lords! HE is THE ALPHA & THE OMEGA, THE BEGINNING & THE END, THE FIRST & THE LAST. He sacrificed His precious life on the cross for us all and at least we should make and attempt to put our best foot forward. Not for show but to express He is our best! Above Him is nothing, no thing, no place or no one! He has imputed His righteousness to us who believe.
Know GOD and HIS WORD for yourself!
Do you know the women even went to the tomb to prepare Christ’s body to see the Father. Well guess what? Know GOD sees and knows absolutely everything. He knows what our priorities are. GOD IS A HOLY GOD! TRUE WORSHIP REALLY IS TO BE ALL ABOUT GOD!!!
HIS BLOOD has precious priceless cleansing POWER! PRAISE GOD: “I have been redeemed!”
Dress like you have been redeemed. What if Jesus returned today? Would you want to run home and change?
What if I do not have anything to wear? No problem. God knows! Well, what did you wear to that dance you went to, or to that wedding, or the ballet, or that sorority or fraternity dinner, to that job interview or to the prom or any other dress up event? Right; that’s different. Think about this for a moment. But you want to “dress down” when you come to worship God!
Consecrate yourself inside and outside for worship
Ponder on this for a moment;
The Old Testament gives us a vivid description of the Temple and the clothing that the priest were adorned in. It is clear that they put their best foot forward. They prepared themselves and consecrated themselves for worship. Many went through purification rituals in order to prepare for worship. Don’t wait until you are at worship to pray. “PRAYING WITHOUT CEASING” is a state of mind that keeps us connected to GOD and focused upon HIM! So yes, Pray before during and after worship. Leviticus has a plethora of laws, guidelines and regulations that had to be adhered to prior to worship. We are not under the law but we need to exercise more discipline.
There has been a gradual shifting down of the dress code as well as the moral behavior… No wonder sin is abounding and “anything goes!” Just perhaps all this dressing down has put the Church in such a relaxed mode that it’s made many feel that there is no need to change because we are to just “come as you are!” Yes, indeed come as you are! But you are not to stay as you are! God is all about transforming our lives from the inside out!
