1 Timothy 2:8-10
8I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing.
9I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, 10but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.
It seems to me that Timothy was having some issues in his church in terms of what was going on during the worship service...He had already talked of the need for prayer for other leaders, and then he seems to get specific. Apparently the men were fighting, and the woman were trying to draw inappropriate attention to themselves.
We are sinful people who make up the church. As sinful people, there is a good chance that there will be times when we act sinful, when we fight with each other, especially over insignificant issues. Can you imagine, if when things got heated, or disagreements arose (which they will), if we just stopped and prayed...together, seeking God's wisdom in the dispute? From a practical position, it never hurst to create a little space, from a spiritual (no less practical) position, it never hurst to set aside our agenda and seek God's. This could be powerful.
As for how we dress, and as for our motives in worship. It is impossible to both draw attention to God (worship) and draw attention to ourselves (also worship, just with a different focus). True worship is all about God. In this context, the main issue was dress, in my context, how about "looking spiritual", or sounding spiritual, etc. etc. Of course the primary concern is the heart, where it is focused. It is amazing to me how people can respond almost identically physically, and yet there is such a difference of focus...tough to hide. I need to be reminded of focus over and over again.
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3 comments:
It's amazing to me how "looking spiritual" can be interpretted so differently. In some places you look spiritual by having an expression on your face, raising your hands, maybe even dancing. In others, it is seen as more spiritual to not let any emotion be seen on your face, to cross your arms and maybe sing along, but certainly not look like you're enjoying it. Raising your hands or anything else is seen as showing off. (oops, personal bias coming out there!). I think we're so afraid of being judged that we stifle all kinds of genuine expression in both cultures.
i find that how i express myself in worship has been largely shaped by stereotypes. man, if i consider what people did in the bible when they worshipped God...crazy! Slicing open a live animals throat, falling prostrate and beating my chest, tieing my son to an altar for slaughter purpposes, raising my hands, shouting out, jumping around naked, laying on my side for a long time, eating poo...the list goes on.
i had an experience much like what Jerlight expressed where it was said from the front (at a conference worship time) that we were free to express ourselves in worship freely...however we felt God was moving us. I watched as many people creatively expressed their gratitude to God and recall one of the leaders approaching me as i sat in the back row sitting down and said to me "Common Paul, loosen up a little." if i hadn't been worshipping i probablly would have loosened something on him! the nerve. and yet, i so easily, because of stereotypes, think others are being less sincere than me if they don't worship like I worship. why do we do this? why are we uncomfortable when someone does something different than us?
Gary Thomas' "Sacred Pathways" helped me to realize that we all connect with God in a number of ways and that's ok...what matters is our hearts in worship, which should lead us to actions afterwards (and often during as well...i suppose...).
C'mon Sid, be a man and get to the next section!!
Just kidding :) I do have some questions for you on your interaction with my post on the role of women - check out the comments on my blevo page. I believe it's under "Let's get ready to rumble!!"
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