Proverb 19 – Excerpt from Better than Yesterday.
Praise and worship are explosive. But because the praise and worship leader is wearing a fitted red dress, many are not even conscious of the worship experience. Their minds are not drawn to a heart that creates an atmosphere of worship but distracted by inappropriate attire, in their opinion. God is bigger than color and clothing. However, we get so caught up in our thoughts and how we feel. I used the example of red and the fitted dress to describe how we often spend unnecessary mental energy on things that are irrelevant to God.
Yes, there are pre-existing standards of modesty to uphold. However, many who have hearts to “police” attire would rather spotlight the detail of someone’s appearance, instead of promoting God’s love. We are living in a time when we must extend Jesus by demonstrating love to gain souls, not lose them. Our mission is to win souls, not judge them. Does a person’s style or color of
[He sees the heart. He’s ultimately concerned about the soul.]
People from all walks of life are searching to fill inner voids, which can only be filled by Jesus. When church congregations are full of what we are not used to, we must embrace these differences with love, not judgment. The revelation of the Word and God-encounters bring about conversion that starts first in the minds and hearts – the two areas we cannot see naturally. These people, the ones whose appearances don’t blend with tradition, are still God’s creation. Reshaping the heart and mind is God’s handiwork and responsibility. Outer change becomes evident with time when we allow God to perfect His plan and purpose for His people. Our position should be to partner with Him by fulfilling the command to love as He does.
