Yesterday was an unexpected down day for me. Around 8:15, I was struck with a sudden sharp pain in my right flank. It didn't take long for Richard to get me to the emergency room where I spent the rest of the morning. Turns out, I had a kidney stone, my first since 1993. The medications put me to sleep. Even after returning home, I was in bed until after 6:00pm. Last night was a restful sleep as well. God's timing is perfect. We now await the delivery of a two-millimeter stone.
Paul next writes… Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments, but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness. (1Ti 2:9-10)
First, he wants us all to pray for everyone, now he wants women to dress decently. I wonder what he would say about most of today's dress codes for females. As I've commented to my accountability partners, "I don't like summer. Too much skin."
Why tell this to Timothy? Are pastors to address the topic? Paul is making a personal preference statement and gives it the same emphasis as anything he's said before; so yes, pastor. If you teach about prayer, teach also about proper dress codes.
He speaks about women in particular here; likely because of the cultural norms of the day. But he would say the same for men who were dressing immodestly, I'm sure.
How does a pastor teach something so sensitive as proper dress to women? I do not have the answer to this down pat. My guess would be in society today this might best left for the older women to train the younger. Is that a cop out? Do you have any suggestions?
Pressing on, Ed ><}}}>
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