Have you ever heard the saying: “Clothes make the man?” It means that people will make judgments about you based on your attire. As people of faith we are not supposed to make judgments or draw conclusions about anyone too quickly, but the reality is we do it all the time. A pair of scrubs versus a nun’s habit versus a UPS uniform do in fact tell us something about a person’s vocation.
When John the Baptist appeared in clothes of camel hair and a leather girdle (more like what we would think of as a belt), and ate locusts and wild honey, it told the people of his time he was an old school prophet, reminiscent of those who had preached four or five centuries before him. Those same elements may seem extreme to modern sensibilities, but in his time they lent John credibility as a herald of the messiah.
While we don’t want to be self-conscious about our appearances, we should be aware of the messages they send out. Of course there is no one way to look. People of faith wear nice suits and jeans dirty from hard work. The crosses they wear may be demure gold ones or large, colorful tattoos. They express their truths in traditional attire and transgendered selections. So what part of our appearance shouts, “I am a Christian!”
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| 2014 St. Joseph County AIDS Walk |
In today’s world, with its emphasis on individuality and personal achievement, these things are radical and countercultural. We can’t be content to witness with Jesus fish bumper stickers and John 3:16 coffee mugs and an occasional "Have a blessed day" that are nothing more than tribal tattoos.
Our appearance matters not because we want people to judge us kindly, but because it tells people what part our faith plays in our lives. Designer neckties and facial piercings say nothing about our God, but our demeanor and tone and generosity will be witnesses for the Spirit. What story will they tell?
Evening readings: Psalms 82; 29
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