The other day the kids asked for “church” clothes. It was a great opportunity to discuss appearances because this culture seems to place very high expectations/pressure on how you present yourself. Including lying to someone so you don’t “look” bad to that other person.
I understand this happens in many cultures and is expanding fast & furious here, so we take any opportunity to emphasize character of a person rather than how they look or what they are wearing. Now, I come from the stand point of ‘you wear what you have to church’….after all Jesus wore sandals. I looked around and told them what they were wearing at the moment was fine.
After receiving shocked looks as if saying “are you crazy, we have on t-shirts for goodness sakes!” I asked them “what does having “nice” clothes have to do with you meeting Jesus in church?” No answer. I asked them “does having “nice” clothes mean you are a good person?” No answer. Once I got over the ‘no answers’ and wanting to scream…..I told them if someone asks me to leave or not come into a church simply because of what I was wearing that is not a church I would want to be involved with.
I tried to explain that we have to be good stewards of the money that is donated….do we purchase new clothes (simply because they feel they can’t wear what they have) or food or prescription glasses or educational supplies or, or, or?” Again, no answer. We talked about (let me clarify…I talked they listened, I hope) washing the cup well on the outside while the inside remains dirty (reference to Matthew 23:25) and what do they think Jesus looks at ‘inside vs. outside?’ Hoping they get it and I know it will take much more than a one-time talk but it’s a beginning. I did give them a “job” of going through all their clothes to find out exactly what they have, what could be repaired, what could be handed down, etc. The deadline is Saturday….we’ll see.
I need to play them this song by Todd Agnew (My Jesus)
Which Jesus do you follow? Which Jesus do you serve? If Ephesians says to imitate Christ Then why do you look so much like the world? Cause my Jesus bled and died He spent His time with thieves and liars He loved the poor and accosted the arrogant So which one do you want to be? Blessed are the poor in spirit Or do we pray to be blessed with the wealth of this land Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousness Or do we ache for another taste of this world of shifting sand Cause my Jesus bled and died for my sins He spent His time with thieves and sluts and liars He loved the poor and accosted the rich So which one do you want to be? Who is this that you follow This picture of the American dream If Jesus was here would you walk right by on the other side or fall down and worship at His holy feet Pretty blue eyes and curly brown hair and a clear complexion Is how you see Him as He dies for Your sins But the Word says He was battered and scarred Or did you miss that part Sometimes I doubt we'd recognize Him Cause my Jesus bled and died He spent His time with thieves and the least of these He loved the poor and accosted the comfortable So which one do you want to be? Cause my Jesus would never be accepted in my church The blood and dirt on His feet would stain the carpet But He reaches for the hurting and despised the proud I think He'd prefer Beale St. to the stained glass crowd And I know that He can hear me if I cry out loud I want to be like my Jesus! I want to be like my Jesus! Not a posterchild for American prosperity, but like my Jesus You see I'm tired of living for success and popularity I want to be like my Jesus but I'm not sure what that means to be like You Jesus Cause You said to live like You, love like You but then You died for me Can I be like You Jesus? I want to be like my Jesus
Yea, I believe my Jesus would not be accepted in several churches so I wonder why should I be any different? Now if the kids can only grasp that concept.