Friday, November 14 Do not let your adornment be external.​—1 Pet. 3:3.

[Áine]

Friday, November 14

Do not let your adornment be external.—1 Pet. 3:3.

 

Reasonableness helps us to respect the views of others. For example, some of our sisters like to wear makeup, whereas others prefer not to. Some Christians enjoy drinking alcohol in moderation, but others decide to abstain from it. All Christians desire good health but choose different methods of health care. If we felt so strongly about our own choices that we tried to promote them in the congregation, we could stumble others and cause divisions. (1 Cor. 8:9;10:23, 24) For instance, instead of strictly regulating the way we dress, Jehovah has given us principles to follow. We are to dress in a way that is appropriate for ministers of God, showing reasonableness, modesty, and “soundness of mind.” (1 Tim. 2:9, 10) Therefore, we do not draw undue attention to ourselves by how we dress. Bible principles will also help elders to avoid setting arbitrary rules about clothing and hairstyles. w23.07 23-24 ¶13-14

[dljbsp]

Reasonableness shows in the way we handle differences. Not every Christian makes the same choices, and they don’t have to — what matters is that our decisions reflect respect for Jehovah and consideration for one another. Problems arise only when personal preferences start to feel like standards we expect everyone else to follow. Jehovah didn’t weigh us down with endless rules; He gave us principles that help us dress and behave with dignity, humility, and good sense. When we keep those principles close, the congregation stays peaceful, and no one feels pressured to copy anyone else — and that’s exactly the kind of unity Jehovah loves

[Single_grainofsand]

Thanks for sharing, a good point brought out here:

 

"Reasonableness helps us to respect the views of others... If we felt so strongly about our own choices that we tried to promote them in the congregation, we could stumble others and cause divisions."

 

Had a scorpion bolo tie incased in resin which was a favorite of mine as I felt it fit with a living in the mountain's theme. I would wear it to meetings and thought nothing wrong with it, rather many complimented its features. It wasn't until quite some time l was approached by an Elder who helped me to reason if this tie was really a good model of a exemplary Christian. The part of not stumbling also includes not drawing undo attention to myself, so I let it go.