Adornment

Adornment

Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes.

1 Peter 3:3

What do you think of when you hear the word fancy? I think of the lobby of the Omni Parker House Hotel in Boston, with its lush carpet, gilded mirrors, and the largest bouquet of orchids I’ve ever seen. But fancy means different things to different people. Some might think of jewelry or fine clothes. Others might point to designer shoes or high-end cars. Some Amish use this term in reference to adornments on buggies:

In Lancaster County, buggies with gray tops belong to the Amish and all black buggies signify Old Order Mennonites. Other differences can be found in buggies based on the degrees of conservatism of the individual church district leaders. Such differences can include windows, window wipers, battery powered head-, tail- and directional lights, rubber or steel-rims, etc.

One concession to modern civilization has been forced upon the Amish buggy. After numerous accidents at night involving fast moving cars and slow moving black buggies, the Amish have added reflective tape to the back of their buggies. Less conservative groups have added battery-powered lights and installed slow-moving vehicle triangles.

Even so, some groups have refused to “adorn” their vehicle with these “loud” or “fancy” implements. In Harmony, Minnesota, the issue divided the Amish community and resulted in a State Supreme Court ruling in favor of those who had resisted their use.

In all our hearts a battle rages. We adorn ourselves because we seek esteem. We want to receive the approval of others. We wish to be commended.

Consider how God has decorated the earth with flowers, filled the oceans with colorful fish, and graced the creatures of this world with unique beauty. Adornment isn’t wrong, but focusing on others’ approval rather than on God’s is wrong. It’s fine to look nice, but it’s possible to have too much of a good thing when we’re more concerned about our outward appearance than the condition of our hearts.

Dear heavenly Father, thank You for gracing this world with beauty. Help me to focus first and foremost on my inward beauty.