What Does Giving Your Best to God Look Like?
We often hear people in church say that we are to look our best in church, wear our best to church and even act our best in church. But is any of that Biblical? Many of us have learned church traditions that have no Biblical basis. In fact, only one is actually partly Biblical.
“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15, NIV)
In other words, act your best. But God does not expect us to only do this when we come to church. We are not to act differently in church than we do elsewhere. God expects us to act our best every day in every way.
So why have we had generations of people telling us that we are to look our best for Jesus. Why have we created a tradition of “Cleanliness is next to godliness” in our churches? Many believe that to be from the Bible, but it is actually an ancient Hebrew proverb from 2nd Century AD. This could have come from the Biblical teachings that people were to participate in a ceremonial washing before entering the Temple. Most of the people had to travel a long distance to attend Temple worship and they needed to wash the dirt and dust off. The priests were expected to do even more cleansing because they would be touching and killing animals.
Its first appearance in English was in the writings of Francis Bacon. In his 'Advancement of Learning' (1605) where he wrote: “Cleanness of body was ever deemed to proceed from a due reverence to God.” Nearly two centuries later John Wesley in one of his sermons (1791), he wrote, “Slovenliness is no part of religion. Cleanliness is indeed next to Godliness."
So where do we get the idea of “presenting your best” to God? It actually comes from the command on tithing. God was not referring to how you dressed. Remember that Jesus thought more highly of the man begging for forgiveness then he did of the rich Pharisee. He thought more highly of the poor widow then he did of the rich men dressed in their fancy clothes. God is more concerned about your heart.
David understood this when he wrote:
“You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” (Psalm 51:16-17, NIV)
In some churches today, people are more concerned about how somebody dresses than about what they present to God. Do you know how many times we get calls at churches from somebody who just bought a new sofa or table or some such and wants to know if the church would like their old one? Now, understand that it is alright to donate things to your church, but you need to examine your heart first.
If God was not satisfied with the Israelites bringing him their second best sheep, do you really think God will be happy with you giving Him your second best sofa? It may be an absurd thought, but why do we think we deserve a better sofa than God? Walk into many small town churches and you will see 50 year old hand-me-downs throughout the church while the members go home to lavish, or at the very least, comfortable homes.
My son once asked me as we were trying to get him ready for church, “Why do we have to dress up for church when we sing ‘Come just as you are.’” I could have giving him a pat answer about how it is showing respect for God, but I cannot find that in the Bible. God told Moses to remove his shoes, but He did not say, “Moses, why do you come before me in your traveling cloak? Go back and get your best one. You know the one the Pharaoh gave you.” I don’t believe that God cares as much about the clothes you are wearing as He does about the sin you are carrying.
Listen to this passage written by one of Jesus’ brothers to the church in Jerusalem:
“My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism. Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, "Here's a good seat for you," but say to the poor man, "You stand there" or "Sit on the floor by my feet," have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?” (James 2:1-4, NIV)
I remember my parents scrapping together money to buy us suits and ties for church while some children came who could not even afford shoes. There is nothing wrong with wearing suits to church, but I cannot help thinking that God would be more pleased if we had spent our money to buy those children shoes and come to church in our old school clothes. We should each examine our hearts as we make decisions on how we should act, dress, and give.
“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15, NIV)
In other words, act your best. But God does not expect us to only do this when we come to church. We are not to act differently in church than we do elsewhere. God expects us to act our best every day in every way.
So why have we had generations of people telling us that we are to look our best for Jesus. Why have we created a tradition of “Cleanliness is next to godliness” in our churches? Many believe that to be from the Bible, but it is actually an ancient Hebrew proverb from 2nd Century AD. This could have come from the Biblical teachings that people were to participate in a ceremonial washing before entering the Temple. Most of the people had to travel a long distance to attend Temple worship and they needed to wash the dirt and dust off. The priests were expected to do even more cleansing because they would be touching and killing animals.
Its first appearance in English was in the writings of Francis Bacon. In his 'Advancement of Learning' (1605) where he wrote: “Cleanness of body was ever deemed to proceed from a due reverence to God.” Nearly two centuries later John Wesley in one of his sermons (1791), he wrote, “Slovenliness is no part of religion. Cleanliness is indeed next to Godliness."
So where do we get the idea of “presenting your best” to God? It actually comes from the command on tithing. God was not referring to how you dressed. Remember that Jesus thought more highly of the man begging for forgiveness then he did of the rich Pharisee. He thought more highly of the poor widow then he did of the rich men dressed in their fancy clothes. God is more concerned about your heart.
David understood this when he wrote:
“You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” (Psalm 51:16-17, NIV)
In some churches today, people are more concerned about how somebody dresses than about what they present to God. Do you know how many times we get calls at churches from somebody who just bought a new sofa or table or some such and wants to know if the church would like their old one? Now, understand that it is alright to donate things to your church, but you need to examine your heart first.
If God was not satisfied with the Israelites bringing him their second best sheep, do you really think God will be happy with you giving Him your second best sofa? It may be an absurd thought, but why do we think we deserve a better sofa than God? Walk into many small town churches and you will see 50 year old hand-me-downs throughout the church while the members go home to lavish, or at the very least, comfortable homes.
My son once asked me as we were trying to get him ready for church, “Why do we have to dress up for church when we sing ‘Come just as you are.’” I could have giving him a pat answer about how it is showing respect for God, but I cannot find that in the Bible. God told Moses to remove his shoes, but He did not say, “Moses, why do you come before me in your traveling cloak? Go back and get your best one. You know the one the Pharaoh gave you.” I don’t believe that God cares as much about the clothes you are wearing as He does about the sin you are carrying.
Listen to this passage written by one of Jesus’ brothers to the church in Jerusalem:
“My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism. Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, "Here's a good seat for you," but say to the poor man, "You stand there" or "Sit on the floor by my feet," have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?” (James 2:1-4, NIV)
I remember my parents scrapping together money to buy us suits and ties for church while some children came who could not even afford shoes. There is nothing wrong with wearing suits to church, but I cannot help thinking that God would be more pleased if we had spent our money to buy those children shoes and come to church in our old school clothes. We should each examine our hearts as we make decisions on how we should act, dress, and give.
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