I didn't exactly use a lot of wisdom back in the 70s. I remember wearing short skirts on church platforms and event stages, then being reprimanded later for my lack of discernment in my choice of attire (or "attire-less"). Today, I wouldn't be caught dead in a short skirt and that's not because I have some sort of clothes-line religion - just that I care NOT to expose my white-pillar dimpled thighs and "shar pei" wrinkled knobby knees to the world. The "amusing grace" about this is: At one time, I had pretty nice legs! And now I don't, so there's no need to subject them to the public.
A young teenage girl asked me recently to evaluate her performance, her singing and her stage presence. (I find this to be a very delicate thing to do, by the way..) But I did it anyway. Before she sang a note, I asked her, "What will you be wearing when you sing and lead worship?" She said, "Hmm, never thought much about that. Probably what I'm wearing now..". (She had on shorts and a T-shirt) I told her my story from the 70s and encouraged her to "think" about her fashion statement before representing the gospel on stage. A chill went down my spine, realizing that I had become exactly that same archaic old-fashioned voice who reprimanded me 37 years ago! Amusing Grace.
I was at a conference where a scantily clad young woman was singing in the worship band. I could not imagine what the men were thinking, let alone the teenage boys in the crowd. I assumed everyone around me thought I was very spiritual, because from the moment she hit the stage, I slammed my eyes shut - not opening them until the worship segment was over. The "Amusing Grace" part about this was: While trying to focus on worshipping God, I kept "seeing" myself 37 years prior, in my little white mini-skirt - trying to sing for Jesus!
As women, we're all better off when we choose to represent Christ in a fashionably modest way. I know how tough that can be, especially in the summer months with all the media venues hitting us with what is "cool" and "chic" to wear. I'll be forever indebted to Moody Bible's Dr. Rosalie de Rosset for her workshop, "Thinking Theologically in a Hollywood Mindset", at the Elmbrook Women's Conference a few years back. If you'd like a copy or download of her teaching, post a comment here and I'll send it to you or give you information on how you can get it. It'll shock you, move you, disturb you and create in you a real desire to counsel our young girls (and sometimes the older gals too!) on how they (we) dress. I guarantee, you'll need the "amusing grace" to have the courage to lead, represent and instruct. If we don't do it (in love), who will?
