Sometimes I dress like a pagan.
I don't wear a pentagram, like this stereotypically GenX pagan from totl
I often dress casually, but thats not necessarily pagan.
The question of what Jesus would wear has been chewed over in many emerging church circles, but no absolute certainty has been achieved. We do know he was given his one-piece garment and it was a QUALITY item, fought over at his death.
Last week I went to church with holes in my jeans. Someone (not a church goer) commented that in her day, people “dressed up” for church. I asked her whether she was assuming that God was always formal in His dress preference. It's very possible that when God turned up for his first appointment with humans, he would have worn something appropriate for that meeting. And since the meeting took place in a lush and verdant garden, He was probably NOT dressed in a suit. Maybe he was dressed like a farmer?
A good description of “pagan” in found in the Bible.
Jesus said “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:28-35
[Chip Bell has some excellent thoughts on Kingdom Economy as he tackles these verses]
It seems that worrying over fashion, and running after the money to buy it, is a pagan activity. But the question remains:
How do pagans DRESS while they are running after such things as what to eat or drink (are restaurants the new temples?) or going shopping for clothes (are shopping malls the new temples?), or just dressing for success and financial security?
Hollywood gives us some fashion clues . . .
Gordon Gecko (Michael Douglas) from the movie WallStreet models the kind of clothing that greedy pagans wear when they are running after such things as wealth, success and financial security. Gecko gives give fashion tips to Bud Fox (Charlie Sheen) on how to dress for success.
LOVE THAT TIE!!!! Now there's a real pagan!
The Devils Advocate is another revealing movie about greed and pagan dress codes.
In the movie, Lucifer incarnate (Al Pacino) helps his protege to climb the ladder of success and look good doing it - despite risking his soul in the process.
Sharp suits!!!!!
A more recent movie suggests the the devil wears Prada.
Ahhh . . mmmmmm . . . .
But there are times when I also dress like a pagan and other times when i just wear what i feel like.
What would I wear to meet God?
Something appropriate, I would hope.
Like, if God was meeting me on the golf course, I would probably dress like this:
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and I assume that God would be appropriately attired also.
A site named Slice of Laodicea had a recent post on pagan dress and blue mohawks, like those found in those “emergent” churches. In case you were wondering, my son's blue mohawk has been replaced with a basic hairstyle - yes, its red - but its very simple.
Nothing pagan about dying your hair - otherwise half the senior citizens in my old church need to repent!
But I tend to differ on how pagans dress. And sometimes I dress like a pagan. . .. . . when i attend traditional
Christian churches that insist i dress like a pagan or Christian conferences . .
Wait a minute . . . where's my pagan tie?
But God understands. And although people look at the outward appearance, God looks at the heart. Thats why its good to fear God and a trap to fear the opinions of people.
