Is That Appropriate? No, Really...Is It?

My biggest issue with the average person is that he does not think before he acts.  He does not think about the implications or, to use a military term, the second and third order of effects (e.g., the secondary and tertiary results of his actions).

Again, my intent with this blog is not to convince everyone how right I am (because, Lord knows, I'm wrong entirely too much to claim any sort of superior level of accuracy).  In fact, I am not even going to tell you what you should believe or how you should act.  I will simply explain my beliefs and let you make your own decision on what is appropriate.

That being said, for ease of communication I will word the majority of my beliefs in more of an imperative format.

As a 28-year-old husband and father of two, I realize it's high time I think before I do or say anything.  My wife, as well as my toddler and preschooler, are watching my every move and listening to my every word.  I am teaching them through my decisions, This is what you should do in this situation.  This is how you should behave.  This is the action or attitude with which Almighty God is pleased.


I stood in my closet the other day, trying to decide what to wear.  I immediately beelined for the university hoodie because it was easy, but I stopped a second to think, Should I, as a 28-year-old male, be content with just doing what is easy?  What am I communicating by what I choose to wear today?


Now while the hoodie versus the ironed button-up is not necessarily world-changing, it is incredibly important to realize what is appropriate before you throw on your favorite pajama pants and head out to the store.  Let me throw in here that just because it is acceptable doesn't mean it's appropriate.  (Societal norms determine what is acceptable, from which springs cultural relativism, but that is another post for another time.)

Some of what I'm about to say is going to be taken wrong; the goats will duck, and I will inevitably hit a sheep.  Stick with the ol', "If the shoe fits..." adage for the next part of this this post.

Hold yourself to a higher standard than what society says is acceptable.  If gym shoes are acceptable to wear to your church, wear casual shoes instead.

Keep up with the times.  What do you think goes through a non-believer's mind when they see someone who claims Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord walking down the street looking frumpy, out-of-date and in general disarray.  I'll tell you what it does; it turns them off.  Whatever witness you may have had has been snuffed out by your obvious lack of care for your personal appearance.  Remember - there are people watching you, more than you realize.

Look in the mirror.  You are seeing are reflection of yourself.  Think to yourself as you observe how you are dressed, Is this what I want people to see?  Is this how I want to portray Christianity?  Is what I'm wearing modest?  Is what I'm clothing myself with in good taste?  By wearing this, am I avoiding bringing reproach on God, my family and myself?  If you can honestly answer every question with a resounding, "Yes," go through the questions again, just to be sure.  If you answer any of the inquiries with anything other than a confident, "yes," go back to your closet or dresser, choose something else to wear and repeat the process until you find something to wear that is holy, acceptable and pleasing to God.

Allow me to digress here for a minute.  First, there is nothing intrinsically holy about the fact that you are too lazy to update your wardrobe.  Secondly, lauding your laziness under the presumptuous umbrella of, "'Be ye separate,' says the Lord," is an excuse and nothing more.  You are producing much more harm than good to your Christian witness, I assure you.

As a Christian, you are to strive to please God in everything you do.  Very rarely, if ever, will you please God  by not thinking.  If you do please God by not thinking, please let me know your secret since not thinking is so much easier than thinking about the decisions I make and the implications of those decisions.

Just think, man.  Stop.  Take a minute.  Think.