PARENTHOOD
a divine stewardship

6. Principles Concerning Clothing

a. Personal Freedom

I would like to say a general word according to my personal opinion on clothing. I am not saying that every child of God should dress the same way. I have no intention to ask all the sisters to ignore outward beauty altogether. I am not saying that all the brothers and sisters should use the cheapest fabric and the worst materials for their clothing. The Bible has no such commandment. When John came, he was clothed with camel's skin. But when the Lord Jesus came, His undergarment was a seamless garment, the best of the time. There is one basic principle of Christian clothing-God has given everyone the freedom to wear what he likes. We are free to choose the materials we like and to pick the style we prefer.

b. Not Attracting Attention

However, we should take note of one thing: No one should wear anything that draws attention to his clothes rather than to his person. No Christian should do this. If our clothing always draws others' attention to us, there is something wrong with it. What we wear should express our being. If I put a bouquet of flowers into a vase and others only pay attention to the vase, something is wrong with the vase. Clothing is meant to express the person. Our clothing should not usurp who we are. The worst thing would be for us to wear clothing that draws attention away from our person to our appearance. This is a great mistake.

c. Clothing Needing to Match One's Status

Another matter needs special attention: A person's clothes should match his status. Do not dress too poorly and do not dress too well. Please bear in mind that poor clothing attracts attention in the same way that fancy clothing does. We should not pay that much attention to our clothing, neither should we draw the attention of others to it. It is wrong to give others the impression that we are particularly well dressed. However, it is also wrong to be so poorly dressed that others begin to feel uneasy about us. Our clothing must match our status. Others should not feel that we are too much or too poor in our attire. Our clothing must glorify the Lord.

d. Clothing Not Arousing Self-consciousness

Furthermore, our clothing should not arouse our own consciousness. Some people are always conscious of what they wear. This means that something is wrong with their attire. They have become a coat hanger to their clothes, and their clothes have become more important than they are. They are not wearing their clothes. Instead, their clothes are wearing them. They are always conscious of what they are wearing. They pay too much attention to their appearance. This means that their dress is either too good or too poor. When a person is poorly dressed, he becomes conscious of his clothes in the company of others. When he wears fancy attire, he becomes conscious of his clothes as well. Both are wrong.

It is best to wear something which does not arouse your attention or the attention of others. Your clothes should be very ordinary. At the same time, it should match your status and should be worthy of Christ. Anything that goes beyond this limit is improper. It is a great thing to present a Christian testimony in our attire today. This means that others can identify us as Christians by our appearance.

Watchman Nee, Messages for Building Up New Believers, Vol. 3, pp. 608-613

APPLICATION

1. "One of God's basic requirements for the sister is modesty. It is good to feel modest and to be conscious of shame." How can you infuse this feeling into your children?

2. "There is one basic principle of Christian clothing-God has given everyone the freedom to wear what he likes. We are free to choose the materials we like and to pick the style we prefer." What are some balancing factors to this basic standard?

3. "Our clothing must be sealed with the mark of holiness." Prayerfully consider before the Lord with much soberness whether or not there is the seal of the Holy Spirit, the seal of the anointing oil, on your clothing and that of your family.