The Matter of Clothes

One thing I have noticed about myself in these recent days is that I dress more casually for Sunday worship.  I am not sure how my mother would feel about the change.  Actually, I think I know exactly what she would say were she still here.  Growing up we did not have much.  Poor is what we were.  But, every Easter my sister and I got new Sunday clothes which we only wore for Sunday morning.  We were always told you wear your best when you go to the Lord's House.  No matter how hard I talked to myself yesterday when I prepared to go to a preaching appointment, I could do nothing other than getting the white shirt, tie, and suit out of the closet.  Maybe I feared my mother might be watching and would show her disapproval by making me stumble on the way to the pulpit!  

I know my choice of pulpit attire puts me out of step with most who preach today, but I just do not feel dressed for preaching without either a clergy robe, or more formal dress than blue jeans and a t-shirt with a Jesus logo on it.   My mother would agree with all of us that what we wear to worship is not more important than being in worship.  I agree.   

What we wear in the pulpit is no issue unless it is a reflection of a desire to be like everyone else.  As one who wears the mantle of leadership in the church, being like everyone else can never be.  As one called to serve the Christ within the church we cannot deny the call to live as one set apart and neither can we downplay our call to stand as one with authority to preach the Word.  Jeremiah struggled with this issue in his day (Jeremiah 20:9) and it continues to be the same for many of us who want to be liked and one just like everyone else.