Clothes Make the Man

When I first flew on an airplane as a ten-year-old in 1974, my parents had bought me a special outfit that I got to enjoy wearing. That came to my remembrance after U. S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy recently made headlines with a new “civility campaign” ahead of the busy holiday travel season. During a press conference this past Monday, Duffy said, “…whether it’s a pair of jeans and a decent shirt. I would encourage people to maybe dress a little bit better, which encourages us to maybe behave a little better. Let’s try not to wear slippers and pajamas as we come to the airport.”

Having used public transportation numerous times, I’ve occasionally dealt with fellow passengers who were rude. I believe there is a connection between sloppy attire and sloppy behavior. Dressing better seems to influence people to have better manners. When we look our best, we usually act our best.


Years ago, people dressed up more in public. Nowadays, some individuals travel in outfits like they rolled out of bed. Even the airlines have become what one traveler called “Greyhound in the sky.” During one flight I took a couple of years ago, a teenage girl ahead of me in the boarding line dressed as a “furry” with animal ears on her head and a tail hanging from her backside. I wondered how she would be able to sit down in her seat. What puzzled me more was her parents allowing her to wear that.


Personally, I prefer dressing casual, especially when going through security lines. One would also want to be comfortable when traveling overnight. However, I recall an old saying “clothes make the man.” Out of curiosity, I googled that phrase. The AI Overview stated: “…it suggests that a person's appearance, especially their clothing, influences how others perceive them and can impact their own mindset.”


One might ask if there’s a dress code in the Bible. During Old Testament times, priests had  commandments regarding their attire. For example, Deuteronomy 22:11 says, “You shall not wear a garment of different sorts, such as wool and linen mixed together.” While modern-day preachers don’t have to adhere to those rules, I believe Christians should be mindful of how they appear in public. Wearing clothes that are tattered or have holes in them don’t exactly glorify God. Women, in particular, are told in 1 Timothy 2:9 to “…adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing,” This is not a prohibition to wearing nice clothes or jewelry. It’s more of an admonition to avoid spending too much time dolling up oneself to impress others.


Worldly people tend to judge more on appearance. My mentor Nick Kinn initially wore casual clothing when he started doing street ministry in downtown Minneapolis. Then one time, the Lord told him to put a suit on. That helped Pastor Nick reach businessmen who might not have listened to him otherwise. As Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 9:22, “I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.”


On the other hand, a fellow missionary and I once made a video called "No Sunday-Go-To-Meeting Clothes." Instead of his three-piece suit, my friend felt led to come to church wearing jeans and a sport coat without a tie. What matters more to the believer is the spiritual clothes they wear such as the armor of God in Ephesians chapter 6.


Whether you dress casual or formal is between you and the Lord. Either way, one can appear presentable without looking like a slob. 


“Let Your priests be clothed with righteousness, and let Your saints shout for joy.” 

- Psalm 132:9

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