Clothes 2

More on what scripture says about clothes...

Matt. 6:25 - 34
25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

This is a great promise that God takes care of our needs. Jesus uses clothes as an example of one of our basic needs that he will meet (along with food and drink).

This passage tells me that I shouldn’t worry about my needs being met. That is all clothes are – a need – and because of his love and generosity, he will provide. I shouldn’t fret about God providing me clothing and furthermore, I shouldn’t worry about or seek to have “nice” clothes to wear. When clothes become a fashion statement or are used to show my good taste or affluence, that is sin. However, if I am seeking his kingdom (promoting or doing the things demonstrated by Jesus) and I’m seeking righteousness through Him alone (and not because I’m well dressed), he will take care of my needs. In some cases, out of his love and generosity, he may even provide beyond my basic needs.

Having nice clothes isn’t a sin but seeking anything before his kingdom is. I need to guard my heart because seeking nice clothing is easy to pick on for me (have you seen the way I dress?) but there are plenty of other areas where I need to seek his kingdom first.