Posted by: The Informal Matriarch | April 8, 2008

Dressing Up For Church

Why does everyone put on their best game face in church? Shouldn’t it be a safe place to show all of your garbage? I think it is. We’re always told to dress up nice on Sunday but do you think we dress ourselves up in other areas? Why can’t we just lay it all out there and actually become a community that’s healing, relevant, helpful, non judgmental?

I wish we could put on stickers at the front doors of the church that say “hello my name is…”

depressed…in debt…alcoholic…porn addict…marriage falling apart…in pain…etc.

But, we make out outsides look great while out insides are hurting and little do we know, the girl with the nice shoes beside us is dealing with the same thing. Too bad we’ll never know because we’re taught to look perfect and sinless. So we can’t share or else we’ll be found out.

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Responses

so true… that reminds me of a song:

Is there anyone that fails
Is there anyone that falls
Am I the only one in church today feelin’ so small

Cause when I take a look around
Everybody seems so strong
I know they’ll soon discover
That I don’t belong

So I tuck it all away, like everything’s okay
If I make them all believe it, maybe I’ll believe it too
So with a painted grin, I play the part again
So everyone will see me the way that I see them

Are we happy plastic people
Under shiny plastic steeples
With walls around our weakness
And smiles to hide our pain
But if the invitation’s open
To every heart that has been broken
Maybe then we close the curtain
On our stained glass masquerade

Is there anyone who’s been there
Are there any hands to raise
Am I the only one who’s traded
In the altar for a stage

The performance is convincing
And we know every line by heart
Only when no one is watching
Can we really fall apart

But would it set me free
If I dared to let you see
The truth behind the person
That you imagine me to be

Would your arms be open
Or would you walk away
Would the love of Jesus
Be enough to make you stay

Our senior pastoral candidate did his congregational interview in his jeans! Good sign for NCC.

I’d actually look for a church just like this one, if such a beast existed. I’ve thought of finding one, but I’ll be honest- I find them frightening and I don’t want to be judged because I’m not dressed for the fashion show.

I keep meaning to write a blog about that, how Sunday has become like thieves in the temple. People in general seem to go more for the tea and cookies and to see what everyone else is doing and to catch up on the gossip than for the glory of God, or to support others, or to even get support.

I don’t think Christians are supposed to be perfect. Where ever they got this idea is beyond me. I’ve always thought the Christian ideal to be more… I dunno, C.S. Lewis like. That’s a fellow who had the whole concept down pat!

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