Last Sunday, as I stepped into the sanctuary, I was met with something that sparked deep reflection.
A woman, probably in her 40s, was sitting quietly near the front. Her arms and neck were covered in tattoos, and she had multiple piercings. It wasn’t something I was used to seeing in church.
I was raised with the belief that places of worship required modesty—not just in behavior, but in how one dressed. We were taught that reverence was reflected in neat, conservative clothing. So I’ll admit, her appearance caught me off guard. It didn’t align with what I was taught to expect in a sacred space.
But then I found myself wondering:
Are those old expectations still relevant?
Rethinking the “Right” Way to Dress for Church
As I sat through the service, my mind kept drifting back to the woman. I wasn’t upset—just… challenged. Afterward, I gently mentioned to her that her look seemed a bit unconventional for church. She responded calmly but firmly:
“How I look isn’t your concern.”
Her words struck me—not with offense, but with clarity. Was my discomfort really about her appearance? Or was it about my assumptions?
That one encounter opened the door for me to question something deeper:
Had I been holding onto rigid views about what someone should look like to belong in church?
