The Lord Doesn't Care What You Wear

There are a group of women who are wearing pants to sacrament meeting this Sunday as sort of a "civil obedience" form of protest that they want to be treated the same as men and given equal opportunities to serve in in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints. I was asked how I felt about this. These are strictly my opinions and I will not be pulling in any quotes from others to support my opinions.

First off let me say that I think we are talking about two completely different issues here. What anyone wears to church is completely different from everyone holding the priesthood, male or female.

What we wear is to church is a cultural manner. By dressing up we are showing our Heavenly Father respect and adoration. Just as we wear our best to a job interview, fancy party, or to impress someone, we do the same for the Lord. But the definition of "our best" has changed over the years, Many churches no longer require best dress to worship in their churches. It is come as you are.

The LDS church has encouraged its members to dress to show their respect to the Lord. However we are becoming a world wide church and it seems to me that members across the world dress in their cultural best when they go to church so we can't say that dresses and suits are always the norm.

However, many new converts and members without sufficient means to buy dress clothes cannot always wear "Sunday best" to church. Does the Lord (or should we) think differently about these brothers and sisters? Absolutely not.

A few years ago I was in Saint George, Utah after the marathon there. John had had a serious heart attack at the end of the race and was in intensive care at the local hospital. I was staying with my sweet niece Dianna in her collage apartment because she didn't want me to be alone after everyone left when we knew John was going to make it. I woke early Monday morning, but couldn't get in to see John until 10:00 am. I didn't want to sit around with a bunch of collage girls, no matter how good their intentions were, so I left their apartment and started driving around St George. They lived just a few blocks away from the temple, so I pulled over and started walking around and having my own little pity party. I noticed people entering the temple with their little suitcases like they were going to do a session, but it was Monday and I didn't think the temple was open on Mondays. I followed thinking if I could do a session it might help my wounded heart. As I walked up the steps and realized I had jeans on I and almost turned around. But I girded my proverbial loins (jeans) and entered. As always there were cute senior couples working the front desk,  I walked up to the desk feeling very conspicuous in my jeans, told my story and asked if I could enter the temple even though I wasn't dressed appropriately. The elderly brother looked me in the eye, put his hand on mine and said some people might mind but the Lord doesn't care what you wear, please enter and find peace. I started to cry, and felt wrapped in the comforting arms of my Savior.

I tell this story because although I know He will love me no matter what I wear, I always want to show my love and honor to Him through what I wear when I am in His house. So when I go to church to partake of His holy sacrament and ordinances, I will wear the best I can: be it jeans or Sunday best.