However, I asked myself that day about how we all answer the simple question: ‘what am I going to wear today—or tomorrow or for this week’s wedding?’ Surely, the answer to that questions depends on few parameters like the event we’re going to, the people we’re meeting in that specific event, what we have in our wardrobes, how important the event is, who is attending, and maybe, more often than we think, how we feel. The question was prompted mainly because of the wedding attendees’ fashion choices. I constantly found myself judging—sometimes admiring, I’d admit— and asking myself: ‘Why did he/she choose to wear these clothes?’

The television media is, for the majority, the ultimate source of inspiration in our fashion style and we tend to be blind to the extent of not noticing the inconsistencies between TV stars and us; Jesus loving people. We’re blinded by the shiny ‘beauty’ of their accoutrements and simply copy without careful inspection of their motives and what ours should be.

To the core of our beings, every single detail of our life ought to be centered on God, seeking to display his glory! Our style says a lot about us. One can almost discern someone’s motive at the first glance: to impress, to draw attention towards how well built/shaped one is, neglect, laziness, human’s approval, lack of concern, simplicity, modesty, respect for the event, etc.

Of all the harmful fashion choices—let it be to draw attention to oneself, let it be to lead others to envy— none, in my opinion, can equal, in terms of harm, the choice that causes others to lust!

Fashion sensuality is mainstream nowadays in christian gathering(this might be the main reason why I’m writing this) and our leaders now avoid the rebuke of it, unless they’re prepared to embrace the legalistic, weird and old-fashioned tag. But Jesus says it would be better to the one that causes a brother to sin if a great milestone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea (Mark 9:42). He adds that he (the one exposed) ought to gouge out his eye lest he goes to hell with an intact body (Matthew5:29). Jesus was definitely—the word is weak—serious about the matter and likewise, it’s imperative for us to be.

The classic Peter’s input on the matter is that women’s adorning shouldn’t be external (1Peter3:3-5) for the real beauty is from the heart— the gentle and quiet spirit— which in God’s sight is very precious. He contends that this— adorning the inner heart with gentleness and quietness of spirit—is how holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves…

Solomon, the wise, asserts: “like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman without discretion” (Proverbs11:22).

What should we make of all of this? How can’t we draw the conclusion from this that wisdom is in quest for modesty? Do you seriously and lovingly consider your brethren in everything you wear? When dressing and veiling your body in modesty, are we hiding beauty or displaying it— which in this case is inner dignity, love, hope in God and piety?

A Christian recording artist named Mandisa hit the nail on the head in one my favorite songs from her entitled: ‘True beauty’ –here is what she says:

"It (beauty) doesn’t come in a bottle, doesn’t come in a box,
You can’t spray it on, you can’t wash it off,
You can’t nip and tuck and you can’t sew it up;
So don’t waste your time;
It’s the love in your heart, peace in your soul,
the hope in your smile lets the whole world know,
This little light- you got to let it shine…"

This song—in my opinion—gets this biblical perspective of beauty quite well in terms of its lyrics. The song makes a resounding plea: Don’t forget the real beauty lies in the heart!

Of course ‘this doesn’t settle the matter’, you might object! Well, I can’t go through all the details and draw the lines on what you should or shouldn’t wear but perhaps let me suggest few questions that you might want to ask yourself:

‘This is just too much’, you might say. ‘It’s just a dress, it’s not that serious’. But from where I was standing in that wedding—and the other one after that— God mercifully dealt with my wandering eye, the lusting eye, and continues to give me grace to fight in that specific area, but we’re all guilty on this one! My plea is for us to remember(and as a matter of fact never forget) what true beauty is, and work on our inner adornment, yearn for holiness (which is really what true beauty is), confirm your hope in God as Peter said in working on your inner beauty first and remember that it shines from the inside out.

If after reading this post you start taking this as a serious issue— not as a petty point—then my prayer would have been answered.