Truth in Advertising

We often say that you can’t judge a book by its cover. But the fact is that people do form opinions about us based on our appearance — especially the way we dress. Even in an age as morally numb as ours, certain clothes suggest something about the person wearing them. What do yours say?

Proverbs 7:10 describes an adulterous woman wearing “the attire of a harlot.” I don’t know just what that attire looked like, but that woman and the man she seduced both knew exactly what it meant. Her clothing advertised her character. My question is this: Do your clothes project an image that you wouldn’t want to live up to? Are you guilty of false advertising?

Some Christian girls, who would never consider sex outside of marriage, will wear clothing that suggests to boys that they’re sexually available. Ladies, if you wear clothes that advertise your body and your sexuality, then that’s where men will focus their attention. Is that really what you want? Instead, the Lord tells Chris­tian women to emphasize their godly character (1 Timothy 2:9; 1 Peter 3:1f).

Sometimes I see Christians (men and women) wear­ing T-shirts that glorify things no Christian should be in­volved in: drinking, sexuality, violence, rebellion. If you wouldn’t do those things, why let yourself be a walking billboard for them? Is that really the impression you want to make?

Paul described the Corinthian disciples as a letter of Christ, read by all men (2 Corinthians 3:2-3). Christian, so are you. How will you show the world that Jesus lives in you if what is on you says just the opposite?