We are fearfully and wonderfully made, so why shouldn’t our outward appearance reflect this? There’s no reason, and as matter of fact if we represent God, then we should take pride in our appearance.

Many years ago, it was easy to distinguish Christians from the partygoers. The ultra conservative clothes were the dead give away for church goers. What was the point in wearing a drab wardrobe? Many Christians believed that their humility should be displayed in the way they dress. They failed to realize that true humility is seen in a person’s character as opposed to in their appearance.

Wearing the finest clothes and jewelry should not cause a brother or sister to be branded prideful. In fact they are representing their Daddy the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, who owns all things.

There is an unmistakable richness to God’s creation. The Opulence in God’s handiwork cannot be denied. He does not begrudge his children the enjoyment of having the finer things in life. Living “Large” or in the lap of luxury is not a sin. The sin is when you put earthly things before or above God.

Christians have an obligation to exhibit moderation in their lives by how they spend their time and money as well as the way they dress. Some religious organizations have written bylaws, which state that their members are not permitted to wear jewelry. These rules were set in place to help their members resist the temptation to wear excessive jewelry. They are so convinced that wearing jewelry is a sin that they use scriptures as evidence that it’s a sign of pride.

Keep in mind that, forbidding people to wear any jewelry at all is also very extreme. Why should the church’s dress code strip people of their right to their individuality? Many Airlines also have dress codes but they seem to be closer to the true meaning of moderation. The standards for Pilots, Flight Attendants and other airline employees, does not take away the individuals style, it simply gives boundaries. If these guidelines were not in place, many of these airlines could not consistently provide a professional appearance.

There is a dilemma, which needs to be addressed. Excess, can be defined as wearing so much jewelry you look like a Christmas tree. For example if you find yourself wearing three earrings in each ear, necklaces, bracelets, ankle bracelets, toe rings, rings on most of your ten fingers, nose rings all at the same time, this is excess. On the other hand taking away a persons right to wear something as special as their wedding band is not the best solution either. Jewelry should be used to enhance or compliment the person wearing it instead of the other way around.

Vanity is being arrogant, conceited and egotistical. None of these describe the character that God wants His children to have. If your motive behind how you live, dress and what you do is to make yourself more important, then that’s vanity. However if God is your first priority, but you strive to take the best care of yourself and in everything you do you give the praise back to God, you are walking in prosperity. Don’t be ashamed to demonstrate the favor or blessings of the Lord. God gives extravagant blessings and our lifestyles should be indicative of this.

By Michelle McAllister, Writer, The Church Online