"And let not your adornment be external only--

braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, and putting on dresses;

but let it be the hidden person of the heart,

with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit,

which is precious in the sight of God."

I Peter 3:3-4 (NASV)

Plain People

It was a relief to a KJV Bible hugger to read this NASV translation which included the little word, 'only,' as in "let not your adornment be external only," a little word left out in the KJV version.  I had been a little confused for years because braiding and plaiting the hair in my mind conjured up the simplicity of the Little House on the Prairie look.  So what a relief it was to read this little word which tilted the verse to a more common sense approach.  As for gold jewelry, I only had to look down at my wedding ring, which had been artistically created as a one of a kind by a gold jeweler friend, to feel like a fallen woman according to the KJV.  As for putting on dresses, I did not have enough fashion sense to be caught up in the fancy look temptation, nor did I covet Cinderella's fairy godmother.  I think I had five dresses at best in my closet most of my growing up years, and pants were not allowed in school so I probably only had one or two pairs of those even.

Even John Wesley seemed to prohibit braiding the hair, gold jewelry, and being fashionable, rather encouraging plainness as equal to godliness.   Our ancient landlord while we were in college upon finding out where we went to school remarked, "It used to be you could tell a holiness woman by how she was dressed walking down the street." If she was like my great grandmother, she would be dressed in black with long sleeves, high necks and weights in her long hem so that an errant wind would not lift her skirt to show her ankles.  

Adam Clarke, however, gave in his usual manner quite a complex commentary going back through centuries of fashions.  For example, he explained how sometimes thin plates of gold were tucked into the plaiting of hair in fancy up-do's causing  the hair to glimmer in early times.  He also was repulsed by the false hair supplements used in his time--the 1700's--because it was often taken from bloody soldiers fallen on the battlefront.  

Clarke quotes from Plutarch, "The proper ornament of a woman is that which becomes her best.  This is neither gold, nor pearls, nor scarlet; but those things which are an evident proof of gravity, regularity, and modesty."  He gives the example of "The wife of Phocion, a celebrated Athenian general, receiving a visit from a lady who was elegantly adorned with gold and jewels, and her hair with pearls, took occasion to call attention of her guest to the elegance and costliness of her dress, remarking at the same time, 'My ornament is my husband, now for the twentieth year general of the Athenians.'"

In retrospect, we have seen the obscene extent that fashion has taken, perhaps none better than during the reign of Louis XVI, where both men and woman were adorned like puffed up peacocks.  In this era when his wife Marie-Antoinette was asked about the starving masses while she wore her expensive gowns , jewelry and hairdos, she supposedly said. "If they have no bread, let them eat cake."  No wonder the French revolution happened where any of these elite  were caught, they were beheaded in the streets, men, women, and children.  Even those who produced their fashions, lace, or jewelry were likewise chased down and doomed to the guillotine.   

The Regency or Georgian eras in England were not much better with their immorality and excesses and fixation on fashion.  This was the time at which Adam Clarke lived.  The separation of classes were staunchly held by the upper tier ton and distinguished by expensive fashion.  Thus, he wrote, "Women are in general at as much pains and cost in their dress, as if by it they were to be recommended both to  God and man.  It is, however, in every case, the argument either of a shallow mind, or of a vain and corrupted heart." 

Perhaps the 'Emperor's New Clothes' tale illustrated the ridiculousness of fashion best when a puffed up emperor was tricked by his tailor into believing the clothes he sewed were of such fineness that it was impossible for the naked eye to see them.  Thus, he was paraded around naked while feeling he was the epitome of fashion, only to be laughed at and scorned. 

This naughty story read by us in disbelief that our ultra conservative parents allowed the racy thing in our home.  The moral to the story did indeed succeed in branding a healthy distrust of fashion in my soul.  (Currently due to most clothing painfully irritating my neuralgia left over from Shingles, I think I perhaps could be more comfortable in the Emperor's new clothes, however!  Does anyone know where his tailor's shop is?)

Being raised in the era of wild bell bottoms, hip-huggers, mini skirts, bikinis, and hot pants (short shorts), dressing modestly was rather difficult at times.  It was a time when if you couldn't touch the hem of your skirt, it wasn't short enough, thus waistbands were rolled up to comply with the current trend.  

At least I drew the line at Beatle hair cuts.  Oh the things we did that cause us to shake our heads now.   Perhaps nowadays, it's the tattoos, and nose rings (bugger-hangers) that are the current obsession.  The world has a tendency of pressing us into its mold.

Excess and pride are repudiated by these verses.  The 'inner person' spoken of here is as Clarke says, "a soul renewed in righteousness, to distinguish him (or her) from the old man, that is, the unregenerate or in a state of sin...

'Great price'  All the ornaments placed on the head and body of the most illustrious female, are, in the sight of God, of no worth; but a meek and silent spirit are, in His sight invaluable, because proceeding from and leading to Himself, being incorruptible, surviving the ruins of the body and the ruins of time, and enduring eternally."

So let us live to please the One who loves us.  He is the One who created all the beauty in heaven and on earth.   In fact, when He made Adam and Eve, He said it was "very good," just as they were, naked as a baby's bottom, totally in the buff without shame, without any adornment at all, not even fig leaves.  Ever since then, mankind has tried to gussy us up by a false and often ridiculous standard.  These verses, however, remind us to enjoy the beauty of holiness which goes soul deep.