who are we trying to impress

You probably can't tell by looking at me now, but I used to be as preppy as they come. To be more honest, I was utterly metrosexual. The reality was that I dressed the way I did, because I wanted to impress girls. Shortly before I met Sarah, I had gone from a ratty t-shirt and jean wearing kid to a walking advertisement for American Eagle. I guess it worked, because she was so totally into me back then. I continued to dress that way for a little while into our marriage, because I thought it was what she wanted. Little did I know then that my wife actually prefers me looking a little more scruffy, messy, and without everything so neatly in place. I was doing what I thought was pleasing to her, but I missed it. She liked me - my personality, my sense of humor, my heart - not the way I dressed.

Question: is God more impressed with me in a suit or me in jeans? Many would say that God likes my shirt and tie, but since He doesn't look at the outward appearance, I tend to doubt it. David's brothers were bigger, stronger, and more kingly looking, but God didn't care. He liked the dirty little kid in raggedy clothes, probably smelling of sheep poo. He was looking at the heart. I have been to church a number of times in a suit, and my heart wasn't always right. In fact, I would venture to say my heart was off the last 5 months of suit-wearing Jeff's church life. My heart ached. I was mistreated, and I was angry about it, but flip doodle, I wore a suit. God was surely impressed, huh? Most of the people in the church liked me, and I'm sure they approved of my nice suits, shirts, and ties. What they did not see is what God saw: my heart. My physical appearance was fine, but my heart was not presentable. How many pastors and church attenders show up every weekend dressed to the nines, trying to impress God with their looks, and find no favor with Him? God's not looking for you to show up with nice suits and dresses on. He's looking at your heart. He didn't save us from jeans and t-shirts unto a life of dress clothes. He saved us from our sin and hell unto a life of righteousness. My heart is so much closer to God today then it was last year at this time. I think God will be much happier with me when I show up at church this Sunday then He was when I showed up in a suit a year ago. Is it because He prefers jeans? No, He looks at the heart. We already covered that. He probably just likes the way my heart is now.

Side note: I do find it mildly humorous how awfully a lot of pastors dress when they "give God their best" by way of suit and tie. My pastor wears some pretty sweet suits, but many pastors do not. If you want to tell me that God wanting my best means wearing a suit and tie, then by all means, trash the suit you got 10 years and 6 inches ago and wear something stylish that fits you right, with a nice looking tie to match, not some dollar store tie that would be better used as a kleenex. If you truly believe that God prefers one type of church attire over another, then don't cheat Him. Go all out.