A little while ago Veronica Partridge wrote a piece about why she has decided to no longer wear yoga pants. It was not a prescriptive piece. She was simply sharing her thoughts on modesty and her decision to no longer wear spandex in public.
I highly doubt that Ms. Partridge wrote her post on leggings thinking it would go viral or that her and her husband would end up on Good Morning America. I also do not think that she expected her article to be the inspiration of other blog posts on the topic.
On the other hand, Ashley Dickens tells us that there are far more important topics to get riled up over than whether or not we should show ourselves in public in active wear. Instead we ought to focus on the suffering of fellow brothers and sisters around the word, on the many orphans who need homes, and the injustices done to fellow human beings.
So the question that comes to mind is what should Christians spend their time on? What should we write about and get getting riled up over? And I have decided to add my two cents to the discussion–it’s the beauty of writng on the web.
All biblical topics have a valid place for discussion. Some may be heavy subjects, like justice and war, while others may feel more light, like yoga pants and modesty. But all scripture is God-breathed and therefore all of it is important to know, discuss, and apply to life.
As iron sharpens iron (Prov. 27:17) so good conversation refines and sharpens our thoughts and ideas. It helps us work through theological truths and practical applications. We are called to be people who spur each other on to love and good works (Heb. 10:24) in order to, as Matthew Henry says, make us “wise and better.”
God may give one person a passion for evangelism while he gives someone else a deeper insight into the workings of marriage. One woman may be providentially taken through some hard times and glean wisdom about suffering, while another is burdened about Trinitarian theology. We learn from each other. At least we should be learning from each other.
God has given different people differing passions and gifts that he uses for the edification of the believer, the advancement of his kingdom, and the glorification of his name. Instead of being reactionary and condemning (on either side of the yogapantocalypse) we need to take a posture of listening and learning as we enter these conversations with the aim of loving our brothers and sisters and growing in the practice of godliness.
Most recently I have been encouraged by women like Veronica who are actively seeking ways to honor God and their spouse in the area of modesty, and women like Ashley who have a God-given passion for some of the painful and darker parts of life. This is what it means to be part of the body of Christ (Romans 12:4)
“Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.”
Romans 12:10
Jen Thorn lives in Illinois where she serves alongside her husband, Joe, at Redeemer Fellowship. She loves studying theology, reading the Puritans, and has a passion for all things chocolate. Jen has 4 children and blogs at jenthorn.com as well as lovegodgreatly.com. Follow her on Twitter @jenlthorn or on Facebook: Jen Thorn.
