good suits on an evangelist

In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the desert, Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’”  John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.  (Matthew 3:1-9)

We were in the store yesterday and I saw a shirt that reminded me of the iridescent shirts of a couple of years ago. I loved those shirts because they reminded me of the iridescent suits that the evangelists would wear when they came to hold gospel meetings at my church when I was young.

Odd that a shirt would have that sort of association, but I loved those suits. I wanted one pretty badly.

There was another evangelist that came when I was in my 20’s. He wore the same black slacks but with a different jacket each night. He looked good.

In the late 70’s, a minister friend told me that I needed to get a black Swedish knit suit to preach in. The pulpit lights really make it sparkle. I did and they did.

In the movie, Leap of Faith, Steve Martin plays a traveling evangelist who is a fake. He is known for his shows and for his clothes. At one point he is putting on a jacket over his shirt and tie. The young woman watching him tells him he looks good. His response: you always have to look better than the ones you’re preaching to.

There was a time when all of my clothing had to be just exactly right, stylish or interesting. I would only wear “good” ties and “good” suits. I wasn't quite a peacock but I spent a lot of time figuring out my clothes.

When John came to announce Jesus, he was an ascetic from the desert who only wore rough clothing and ate rough food. He was, if nothing else, not a fop.

At one point, Jesus is talking to a group of religious leaders who are griping about him. He mentions John in Matthew 11: What did you go out into the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind? If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings’ palaces. Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet (11:7-9).

What were you looking for, Jesus asks? One thing you didn’t get from John was a well-dressed prosperous evangelist. No, he said, you got the real thing – one straight from God. Well-dressed people you can find in any fancy place. They came to hear a prophet.

There is nothing wrong with good clothing. Jesus himself had an undergarment that was seamless, woven for him by someone. It was a rather expensive piece of clothing, and he not only took it and wore it, he probably enjoyed it. He had nothing against stuff. He had something against people who were owned by stuff.

I always figured Jesus would wear an expensive suit if someone gave it to him along with a Kmart tie. It didn’t matter to him.

And it mattered even less to John the Baptizer. His mission wasn’t to present suits. It was to preach the gospel.

The two don’t necessarily clash, but I remember the evangelists’ suits, and nothing of what they said. Now I was young with one, and in my early twenties with the other, that is true, and maybe that explains some of it. But I do not remember a single thing they said. Just their clothing.

I will never again let clothing determine me. God will determine me. I will dress appropriately, that is true. My generation is bad at tearing down appropriate dress situations.

But even though I dress appropriately, I will also remember it is the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart that will be acceptable to God, my Rock and my salvation.