Getting dressed for church every Sunday morning had become a chore. I couldn’t remember what I had worn the last Sunday. I had a couple of favorite skirts and shirts, and I had no idea how frequently I actually wore them. I was beginning to feel that I needed to start keeping a list. Or write week designations on the clothing tags. Thus was my thinking almost all winter.
Then spring came, and I was okay for several weeks because the warmer weather brought new options. But too soon, I was stuck again. Frequently, I would change my clothes two or three times every Sunday morning, trying to decide what to wear. And on and on it went…
Until one fabulous, life-altering morning. I had invited a friend to church, and she and her family were going to come that morning. I loved and knew this family well. They comprised a fairly large, one-income family. I knew that she wouldn’t be wearing anything particularly nice to church that morning, so I dressed down. Because I loved her and wanted her to feel comfortable, and I didn’t want her to think I was trying to show her up. That morning has been so liberating for me. Since then, I’ve realized and pondered several things:
- I love everybody, and I don’t want to show anyone up.
- Visitors to our church are less likely to have nice-looking church-appropriate attire, and I definitely want them to feel comfortable and not like they are dressed too casually. If I can get intimidated every single Sunday, I can just imagine how a visitor might feel, especially someone who’s not used to going to church at all.
- The other church ladies can still wear whatever they like; dressing very nicely is their way of honoring God.
- There’s no sin in owning fewer articles of clothing, so if I accidentally wear my favorite skirt/blouse combo every Sunday, people can go ahead and believe that’s all I own. Why should that bother me? Do I honestly believe that people will think I haven’t changed clothes all week, or done laundry?
- My level of modesty should be the same wherever I go, so it should not be a consideration when I am dressing for church. I
should be able to wear anything I own. - God doesn’t care how I dress, as long as I am clean, modest, and easy to be around.
I hope this post helps lift a burden somewhere!
Full Circle Homeschooling 
Though I’m not completely there with you on 1 and 2, I’m totally behind 3-6 and I think you have a healthy attitude about the whole thing. If anything, we need to make sure our heart is in line with God and we seek Him first. After that, the external should just be a reflection of that love we have for Him!
Thanks for your input! I didn’t mean to imply (in #2) that non-church goers have shabbier closets than church goers. I just know that when I have invited women to church in the past, one of the top excuses is that, “I don’t have anything to wear.” I think there’s an idea floating around out there that you have to dress up for church or stay home!
I can understand that… It’s easy for people to come up with excuses for why they cannot do something– and it’s a great thing to knock down those walls. Jesus did say for us to come “Just as I am”; however, after we’ve encountered Him we’re never the same!
So true!