Do We Have Character Amnesia?

I read recently about a strange thing happening in China. It seems that young people there are beginning to forget how to write the characters that comprise the beautiful calligraphy of their traditional language. Some are calling the phenomenon “character amnesia.” Because of the usage of computers and other handy gimmicks their writing is being neglected and some can no longer remember the characters they learned in childhood.

These days it seems that many of us are suffering from character amnesia only of a different sort. When it comes to some decisions we seem to “forget” the righteous route and play follow the leader and do the world’s ways. But just as the Chinese children are taught their characters by repeatedly writing them over and over we learn true character in the same way - not by writing it of course - but by putting it in practice on a daily basis. When it comes to practicing graceful modesty though we often fall far short of that goal. So much so that often when we rarely do see a young woman in a dress, in most cases it is easy to see she has had little or no practice. She walks or sits as though she is still in her shorts or jeans … and knows nothing of being gracefully modesty.

We need to seriously consider what we are allowing our children to forfeit by the habits we allow them to acquire - and from the practices that we model in front of them. Whether it be in letters - or in our morality - character amnesia is a tragedy which is sure to have negative effects on generations to come.

Let’s purpose to practice, practice, practice to always be gracefully modest in everything we do. Because you can count on it, someone is watching, learning from you and putting it into practice.

Someone said it well, “When wealth is gone, little is lost; when health is gone, something is lost; but when character is gone, all is lost!”

Can Life Really Be Compartmentalized?

There are few books that I've read that I've enjoyed as much as those written by Dr. Paul Brand (1914-2003). Dr. Brand is known for his missionary work in India among those suffering with leprosy, his pioneering medical research, and his brilliant and innovative work as a surgeon. Dr. C. Everett Koop, former U.S. Surgeon General, claims that Dr. Brand's research has been directly responsible for eliminating the need for tens of thousands of amputations — greatly benefiting, particularly, people with Diabetes.

What does this amazing Christian doctor, speaker, author have to do with the subject of clothing? A great deal, perhaps. In his book, "He Satisfies My Soul," Philip Yancey, who co-authored with Dr. Brand and knew him well, said, "If I had to choose one lesson I have learned from Dr. Brand, it would center on the underlying unity of life. So often in this modern world we compartmentalize. Scientists study the material world; priests and preachers study the spiritual world. Dr. Brand brings these worlds together....To him, the world reveals God, and God illuminates the world....For him, life is an act of worship."

And what we worship is reflected in our attitudes about what we wear. As we see again in the news. The Washington Post's lifestyle post read, "Target’s Web site is back after multiple crashes Tuesday and early Wednesday, but frugal fashionistas hoping to find zig-zag print dresses and sweaters from the Missoni for Target line may be out of luck.

"The retail giant launched the new limited collection with the Italian luxury brand Tuesday morning in the midst of Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in New York." And everyone went crazy trying to be the first to get theirs before they were sold out.

Life really is an act of worship. All we do, what we think, say, where we go — and even what we choose to wear is an act of worship. It is revealing our heart and what we believe about the only true and living Holy God. How could we think otherwise. "And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men...for ye serve the Lord Christ." Colossians 3:23,24

We only fool ourselves when we compartmentalize our lives and put worship into our few minutes spent on Sunday? Life is an act of worship. Instead of compartmentalizing this and that occasion as a less important one, or with a who cares attitude, or a woohoo! we beat out the crowd to get the latest thing — shouldn't our dress for all of life's occasions — regardless of if our shopping is done at Nordstrom or Target be selected with care — always being gracefully modest ... regardless of the label?

Which Side of The Debate Are You On?

Political debates are the name of the game these days. They’re there headlining every news media. All the while though another debate less publicized continues to circulate among Christians. Evolution vs. Creation. Thankfully, a large percentage of Christians still argue on the side of Creation. A good sign, conservative Christians may think. After all, aren’t we giving due credence to our Creator? Yet I wonder if perhaps a problem still exists with it. Because though we Christian women claim that we believe in Creation with our words — often by our actions we appear to be taking the other side. We all at times “make a monkey of ourselves.” But what I’m referring to is our tendency to “evolve.”

Our friend, Webster, says evolution is “a theory that the various types of animal and plants have their origin in other preexisting types, and that the distinguishable differences are due to changes in successive generations.” The thought of course is that each generation of species become better and better. Obvious to any thinking person such an idea is false. Yet maybe in truth this definition should be used to describe we as Christians. Isn’t our origin in another preexisting Type — Jesus Christ? And should not our distinguishable differences be due to changes in successive generations? After all we are to be different due to successive generations because we’re told in Scripture to “…teach these things to our children and to our children’s children….” We ought to be learning from earlier generations’ mistakes. Instead of “evolving” into the likeness of the world’s ways, we should be “growing in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord.”

But in looking around at what Christian women often choose to dress themselves in and in the behavioral patterns we don as a result — we often do make a monkey of ourselves. So which side of the debate are we really on when in our words, actions (including the way we dress) and behavior give huge points to the Evolution crowd? Let’s score for Creation by being distinguishably different — gracefully modest in everything we do!