Let’s Discuss “Dress Codes”: To Embrace ‘em, or Ditch ’em?

Friends!  Do you ever get a phrase in your head and you can’t shake it off?

Such was the case on our cruise I wrote about recently. The day of arrival, while waiting on our luggage to be delivered, John and I set about perusing all areas of our ship.  (We were still discovering new areas days later…)

Our room was on the 7th floor, so we went up several floors, wanting to find the well-named Panorama Lounge, on the 11th floor.  It became our favorite hangout as it, too, was a Library boasting all varieties of books, books, and more books!📚

We found a place to sit and look out, truly a panoramic view, not even having left the dock yet.  Time to set sail was six o’clock.  Not paying attention to the time, nor really knowing the dress code, a waiter named Sai, approached John and said, “Sir, you may not wear ‘HOFF PONTS’ in this lounge after six p.m.”

Trying to process what exactly he was referring to, we realized, coupled with with his super strong accent, he was saying “HALF PANTS”, otherwise referring to shorts.  We got a good laugh out of that and throughout the cruise, we called Sai, “Half pants.”  He was a good sport about it and let the dress code slide that day.

Our following trips up to the Panorama Lounge found us in appropriate attire. We always had to show Sai so he would approve and the joke continued throughout the cruise. He popped up in other restaurants some evenings as a server, too, so the banter went on and on…

Also with part of the dress code during the cruise, came “Formal Night” on two different nights.  Would you believe some men wore tuxes, some even white dinner jackets?  My handsome hubby wore a sport coat and tie, some men wore sport coats and no ties. Nobody said anything as far as we could tell.

I confess the phrase “dress code” brings out the inner rebellious spirit in me.  I don’t really like being told what to wear.  For example, because I’m not a hat girl, Derby time here in the ‘Ville doesn’t excite me, however, my dear friend, Gwen, can whip up the most beautiful hats and fascinators you’ve ever seen, so I would totally wear one of hers if I had to! 

Nowadays, wedding invites often come with a dress code.  “Black tie optional” is much more favored than “Black tie.”  I’ll also confess, sometimes it’s fun to dress up, although I still prefer a short dress to a long dress—forgive me those of you who love a long dress!!!

All this to say, a new book (ahhh, you knew I’d find a way to get there…) by Matt Chandler caught my eye recently. It arrived just a few days ago.  Check out the title:

Doesn’t the title pique your curiosity?  Me too.

Only approaching Chapter Four, I was flummoxed by Chapter Three:  “A Quick Checkup.”

Page for page found my inner self saying, “Oh boy, busted again!!!”  Not sure I can get past Chapter Three without at least telling you all about it!

Let’s just say I found it to be a good ole’ shot in the arm and my radar is re-set to be alert, ever on the watch.  And yes, there is a dress code, of sorts, in our future…

Let me share with you a little about the author first.  Matt Chandler is the Senior Pastor of The Village Church in Dallas, Texas.  I’ve had the privilege of hearing him speak on more than one occasion when he was here in Louisville.  His messages are powerful and impactful.

Our Tuesday Bible study group very much enjoyed his study all about The Apostle’s Creed a few years ago.

One more teensy detail about this book, The Overcomers: It’s based on the Book of Revelation.  Screech….I hear some of you putting the breaks on as some of us (myself included) tend to steer clear of Revelation.

Revelation ranks up there with the fearful phrase, “dress code” if you ask me….no offense, Lord! Stay tuned as to what exactly we need to be sporting…and it’s a much needed dress code whereas most other dress codes aren’t exactly a “necessity.”

Good news:  Matt gently grabs us by the hand and helps us along, chapter by chapter.  His very vulnerable and often funny self encourages us along the way.

Normally before I review a book, I’ll read the entire thing, however this chapter so stopped me in my tracks, I had to share some points with you like now.

Buckle your seatbelts, and please keep telling yourself,

This is going to be soooo good for me. 
This is going to be soooo good for me!” 

Here we go…

Matt opens the chapter by telling us about the discovery of a tumor in his brain:  Brain cancer in 2009.  Miraculously, he’s still with us and aren’t we so grateful to God for sparing him? 

Matt maintains his annual checkups used to cause him to be fearful about the results, however now he sees them “as opportunities to evaluate my physical health and, if needed, as accountability to make necessary changes.” (When my friend, Liz, was going thru’ these scans and checks, we always prayed her pseudo boyfriend, a/k/a “Ned”, would surface:  “NO EVIDENCE of DISEASE.”)

Matt adds,

Chapter 3 has five sections, four of which are to churches regarding a bad symptom of sorts. Thankfully the last one is good news. Check these out:

A bad heart
Lukewarm indifference
Being double-minded
Spiritual darkness and false teachers
And praises be:  A picture of health!

We begin with the church in Ephesus who has a disease where “a genuine love relationship with Jesus was lost and replaced with something else.” Matt suggests none of us ever set out to replace Jesus, but our enemy, the devil, is craftier than we often realize, and we must guard ourselves against his schemes.

We learn the people of the church of Ephesus were “theologically thick, but thin in love. They had good doctrine but bad devotion. This is devastating because Christ followers are to be known by our love (John 13:35)—our love for God and for one another.”

Matt warns, “If we aren’t careful, it could happen to us too.” May we guard our hearts! ❤️

Let’s move on now to part two:  a letter to Laodicea:  Lukewarm Indifference.

Take a gander at what Jesus says to the Laodiceans,

Ouch!  Sadly, Matt tells us the Laodiceans had no idea they were being lukewarm.  They were comfy in their environment, not really wanting for anything.  But….Jesus called them, “wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked!” (v. 17)

Oh, but let’s look at Jesus’ response because He gives us yet another grace card

Matt shows us Jesus is knocking at the door of our lives now. To remember and repent, we need to ask ourselves a couple of questions.  We must ask ourselves one in the positive direction, and one in the negative, a “buyer beware” if you will:

For the positive, Matt asks, “What stirs your affections toward Jesus? How can you fill your life with more of that?

We’re given examples of singing, worship, and community for starters. I became tickled to learn Matt loves “early mornings and a great cup of coffee.” Oh boy, may I second that?  I’d argue my sweet husband is the best barista this side of the Mississippi and my day goes a whole lot better after I’ve had a couple of cups of his excellent coffee coupled with time to read and start my morning slowly.

Sidebar:  While on our cruise, our incredible butler, who was akin to Radar on M*A*S*H, brought us not one, but two pots of coffee to begin our mornings.  Every. Single. Morning. I’d hoped our ship would have great coffee and it did not disappoint. 

Another wicked treat they brought us was whipping cream in lieu of half and half or skim milk to add to our coffee.  We learned it was better to spoon the cream in vs. pouring it.  You can bet there’s a bottle of Kroger whipping cream perched on the top shelf of our frig as I type.  (Not the healthiest addition for one’s diet, but it’s sooooo good!) I digress.

And here’s the negative:  “What robs you of your affections for Jesus? What distracts you from His beauty and majesty?

And now, the antidote:

How might you reorder your life to put in more of what stirs your affections and much less of what robs it?”

These questions will make you think, right?

So while Ephesus and Laodicea had problems with their hearts, the next three churches struggle with their minds as in being double-minded:  Pergamum, Thyatira, and Sardis (See Revelation 2:12-3:6.)

We’re warned that “double-mindedness leads to compromise with the world.”  The folks from Sardis’ church “acquiesced to the pressure of the culture and became harmless—or maybe powerless.” Scary!

Next bad symptom we learn about comes from “spiritual darkness and false teachers.”  In Revelation 2:16, Jesus says, regarding false teachers, “I will war against them with the sword of my mouth.”

There’s nothing worse than a false teacher….makes me think of “a wolf in sheep’s clothing.” (See Matthew 7:15.)  We had such an incident years ago when our boys were in high school with a teacher— who we later discovered, was truly a wolf in sheep’s clothing.  And get this:  He was the Bible teacher and coach of several sports, no less. 

An angel in disguise, as in a brand new student, heard of this teacher’s antics and said at the lunch table, “Guys!  This is not right!  We’re going straight to the Principal’s office to tell him!!!”  And with that, after the Principal confronted the teacher, that teacher literally fled the country.  Still makes me sick, lo these many years ago.

Once again, we must ever be on the alert…

1 Peter 5:8 gives us a grand warning:

My friend Katherine used to think of her home as their family’s fort—a present day fortress.  She said, “Even if there’s the slightest gap in the walls, the devil will slither in…we all must GUARD OUR FORTS!”

Therefore, I believe our dress code should be that of putting on the Full Armor of God straight out of Ephesians 6:10-18.  Forgive me for this visual, but I am 100% certain none of us would forget to put on our “undergarments” every morning—trying to be tactful… Thus, it would greatly behoove us to likewise armor up, putting on the full armor of God each and every morning:

Matt closes this section on false teaching with more show-stopping questions: 

“Have you positioned yourself under strong biblical teaching?

In the teaching you’re under, is there an emphasis on the finished work of Jesus Christ—His life, death, and resurrection?

Is there a call to live lives of holiness?”  (These are just 3 of 6 soul-searching questions…Don’t miss them!)

Finally we reach the churches of Smyrna and Philadelphia.  Thankfully, they’re a “picture of health.” We learn why these churches are healthy:

“Because of…
Their deep love for,
Commitment to,
And single-mindedness in following Jesus regardless of the cost.”

Don’t miss the promises that conclude Chapter 3.  Matt also promises that  the following chapters will give us readers a view “that changes everything and will provide the courage and strength to endure whatever may come our way.”

Doesn’t that make you want to read on?  I’ll report in once I’m finished…I just didn’t want you to miss a dress code we really need, now rather than later.

Now you know how we like to close:  “Run, don’t walk, to your nearest bookstore and grab The Overcomers!

‘Til next time!

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