Proverbs 31:22 - Her clothing is silk and purple.

In Proverbs 31, the writer describes a worthy woman. Verse 22 indicates that she is interested in her appearance. Fine linen and purple were associated with wealth and riches. We cannot assume that a worthy woman must be wealthy, but rather that she adorns herself in the best that is available to her and that she is not cheap or gaudy. Certainly, she does care about how she looks.

We have no reason to believe that God does not see and care about how we appear in His presence and in the presence of others. He looks at our appearances and knows that they reflect what is in our hearts. (Proverbs 23:7).

The world, on the other hand, is unable to see what is in our hearts. It judges us by how we look and how we behave. Matthew 5:14 says "Ye are the light of the world." Verse 16 says "Let your light so shine that others may see your good works and glorify your father which is in heaven." When our appearances do not support our Christianity, we let God down.

The Bible often speaks of the physical appearance and voices concern with the clothing of the body, as well as of the heart. "In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array. But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works." {1 Timothy 2:9,10}

Vine's Expository Bible Dictionary defines modesty as "orderly, well-arranged, decent, harmonious arrangement." Galatians 5:19 condemns lasciviousness; and one of the definitions of lasciviousness is indecent. Therefore, immodest clothing is sinful because it incites lust. Consider David and Bathsheba (II Samuel 11:2).

Clothing is indeed a symbol of one's character. We tend to behave the way we look. "Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price." {1 Peter 3:3,4} These verses do not condemn fixing our hair, wearing gold, or putting on clothes. Rather, they teach what is acceptable--a meek and quiet spirit.

Bible Examples

1. In the beginning, when Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit and learned the difference between good and evil, the first thing they did was look about for something to cover their nakedness. They were afraid and ashamed.
2. Genesis 10:21-25 tells of the curse placed on Noah's son Canaan because he saw his father's nakedness.
3. John 21:7 tells us that Peter, when he heard that Jesus was approaching, girt his fisher's coat about him (for he was naked) and cast himself into the sea. This indicates that Peter cared about how he looked when he greeted his Lord, that he respected Him, and that he knew being unclothed was unacceptable.
4. Proverbs 7:10 speaks of a woman "with the attire of an harlot." This indicates that her appearance provided evidence that enabled those who looked at her to know what she was.

We need to be certain that our appearances give evidence of what we are--Christians.