Fashion + Theology, III

Where were we?

The last time I posted about clothing, I talked about the purpose of clothing in a Christian's life. I wrote about two purposes in particular: firstly, the purpose of clothing, which is to clothe our nakedness—a reminder of the very first picture of atonement in the Bible. Therefore clothing is not for our vanity but for our humility. The second purpose of clothing (fashion, or dressing aesthetically if you will, in particular) is to dress creatively in a manner that acknowledges and gives glory to our creative and artistic God. Just as there is aesthetic beauty in nature and in the tabernacle humans were instructed to build, so there is value for aesthetic beauty in the life of a Christian, because it reflects the artistry of our Creator God.

Money, money, money

And now we come to the question of stewardship. Clothes cost money. How much is too much? The Bible doesn't say. And so we shouldn't add rules where the Bible doesn't. But Jesus is pretty clear about what he demands from us regarding material possessions. Cue the rich young man:

And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
Mark 10:21-22

I've thought about this passage quite a lot. It haunts me because I know I'm just like that rich young man. It's pretty easy to say, God I give you everything. Everything? Yes everything. It's harder to say, yes I'll give my favorite dress away to my friends who are bringing old clothes to a poorer community. Or yes, I'll give my digital camera away to someone else who would really love it. Or yes, I'll give my laptop to the charity shop next door. But that's the kind of person that Jesus counts as a follower. The sort of person who holds his possessions loose. So loose they don't even really belong to him at all. I'm not saying it's wrong to feel attachment to our stuff. I'm just saying that there's a greater joy to be found in giving rather than hoarding.

Symptoms of a Heart Disease

So no, I'm not gonna challenge you to spend less this Christmas. I'm not gonna suggest that you give up shopping, or give more away, or anything like that. I'm just gonna suggest that we all take a look at Matthew 6 where Jesus says that our hearts lie where our treasures are. Don't look at your spending as the problem. Look at it as a symptom. And then ask yourself where your heart really is. And then look back to Calvary. There you'll see Jesus dying on the cross so that he could become your ultimate treasure. Not stuff, not clothes, not money. There you'll see his love for you and his mercy covering all the status and popularity and outward beauty you ever craved. No Bruno Mars song tops God's approval of you in Christ.

Oh, and don't be a stranger. Give me a nod yeah? Because I'll be right there, next to the crimson tide, asking for forgiveness for the same wretched greed that's in me too.

photography by hilda grahnat 

Other posts in this series:
Fashion + Theology, I: An Introduction
Fashion + Theology, II: The Purpose of Clothing