Dressed Down

Dressed Down

I had recently taught a Bible study lesson on pride and was also feeling encouraged about a pitch presentation some colleagues and I had made to an organization we all hoped to work with. I wasn’t thinking of either of those things when I agreed to meet my sister for lunch and left the house decidedly underdressed. The restaurant we’d chosen was casual—but not T-shirt, jeans, sandals, and a ponytail casual.

I’d barely greeted my sister when I walked in the door and into one of the gentlemen who’d been seated around the conference table for the aforementioned pitch. The last time he’d seen me, I had looked decidedly different: sleek hair, earrings, skirt, jacket, polished pumps. Our eyes met, and for a split second I hoped he hadn’t recognized the “new” me. But as soon as he caught my eye, he smiled.

I did what the moment required. I smiled back, said it was good to see him, and introduced him to my sister. Then I noticed the two other men in business suits with him. I knew them both, and it’s safe to say they saw a side of me neither of them had seen before. After some upbeat small talk and greetings all around, we said good-bye.

I began to berate myself. How could I have gone out of the house looking so sloppy? What was I thinking? When we got to the table, I continued my self-thrashing: How awful was that? Can you believe they saw me looking like this? How humiliating! To my sister’s credit she did not try to tell me I looked fine. (Truth telling has always been a hallmark of our relationship.) She simply said it probably didn’t change things much, which was true except for this: it changed in an instant my estimation of how much pride I take in appearing put together. It reminded me of how much more I like the idea of “executive” me than everyday, unadorned me.

I hadn’t bothered to dress up for a quick lunch with a family member. As a result, I was made to recognize how much pride still lurks in my dressed-down heart. Maybe it was a good thing, after all.

As in water face reflects face, so the heart of man reflects man.

Proverbs 27:19, NASB